A/HRC/RES/47/16 realized, with full cooperation among Governments, civil society, the private sector, the technical community and academia, Emphasizing that access to information on the Internet facilitates vast opportunities in many spheres of life, including for affordable and inclusive education globally, and is therefore an important tool to facilitate promotion of the right to education, while underlining the need to address digital literacy and digital divides, as they affect the enjoyment of the right to education, not least during the COVID-19 pandemic, and underlining also the important role that international and multi-stakeholder cooperation can play in this regard, Deeply concerned at all human rights violations and abuses committed against persons for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms on the Internet, and the impunity for these violations and abuses, Deeply concerned also at measures, in violation of international human rights law, that aim to or that intentionally prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information online, Strongly condemning the use of Internet shutdowns to intentionally and arbitrarily prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information online, Stressing the importance of applying a human rights-based approach when providing and expanding access to the Internet, and of the Internet being open, accessible and nurtured by multi-stakeholder participation, and noting the importance in this regard of the Internet Governance Forum, Considering the key importance of government engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, the technical community and academia, in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms online, 1. Affirms that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice, in accordance with article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; 2. Condemns unequivocally all human rights violations and abuses committed against persons for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms on the Internet, and calls upon all States to ensure accountability and effective remedies in this regard, in accordance with their international obligations; 3. Also condemns unequivocally online attacks against women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence and abuse of women, in particular where women journalists, media workers, public officials or others engaging in public debate are targeted for their expression, and calls for gender-sensitive responses that take into account the particular forms of online discrimination; 4. Recognizes the global and open nature of the Internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development in its various forms, including in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring to leave no one behind; 5. Also recognizes the greater importance of the Internet in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the exceptional measures adopted in response to it, and the need for States to ensure, in accordance with their international human rights law obligations, that any such measures do not restrict access to the Internet and, wherever possible, expand access to it, especially for persons in marginalized and vulnerable situations; 6. Calls upon all stakeholders in the information and communications technology sector, including Governments, the United Nations system, national human rights institutions, civil society and the private sector, to fully consider the human rights, health and socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as they strengthen their efforts to bridge digital divides within and between countries, with particular attention to the poorest and those in the most vulnerable situations, as well as women and children, and to promote affordable and reliable connectivity, digital access and digital inclusion, and the expansion of accessible and inclusive public services, distance-learning solutions and digital health services; 3