Assessing Right to Internet within the Purview of Right to Life under International Human Rights Law

Abstract

This dissertation examines whether access to the internet falls within the scope of the right to life under international human rights law. As digital connectivity becomes indispensable for education, healthcare, employment, and emergency communication, this study investigates whether existing legal frameworks, particularly the ICCPR and UDHR can be interpreted to encompass internet access as a dimension of the right to life, rather than solely under freedom of expression. Through doctrinal analysis of treaties, jurisprudence, and UN resolutions, the research finds that while no binding instrument explicitly recognizes such a right, internet access functions as an essential enabling condition for realizing life, dignity, and other fundamental rights, warranting further legal development and international consensus