Universal access and human rights : the right to communication in the light of global telecommunication development

Abstract

From a historical perspective, 'the right to communication' is based on human instinct and is also one of the fundamental human rights. The right to communicate relates to the fundamental freedoms and values of contemporary societies and represents the affirmation and expression of the most essential rights for human dignity. With the creation of . . new technologies of communication such as cellular phones, telefacsimile and the Internet, it is clear that readily available access to telecommunication is highly important for our daily life. However, due to differences in economic development and resources distribution, there is still a big gap between industrialized and developing countries in access to basic telecommunications. Since everyone should have the equal right to communicate, it is the global aim to assist people living in remote and rural areas to gain basic telecommunications to access and connect with the outer world. The main aim of this article is to examine this innate right as it emerges from historic human rights legal documents and international agreements and to emphasize the equality of rights concerning access to telecommunication between industrialized and developing countries.