Session
Organizer 1: Henok Sisay, ISOC Ethiopia Chapter
Organizer 2: Adugna Necho Mulatu, Internet Society Ethiopia Chapter
Speaker 1: James Gondwe, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Joseph Bishi, Private Sector, African Group
Speaker 3: Dennis Kimutai Sonoiya, Government, African Group
Josephine Miliza, Civil Society, African Group
Henok Sisay, Civil Society, African Group
Adugna Necho Mulatu, Technical Community, African Group
Round Table - U-shape - 60 Min
How can we create spaces that promote a multistakeholder approach in the development and implementation of policies and regulations, especially in Telecommunications?
How can ICT policymakers and Telecom regulators work with underserved, rural, remote, and Indigenous communities to co-create inclusive policies and regulations?
How can we build capacity for community networks grassroots movements to meaningfully participate in development of ICT policies and Telecom regulations?
Connection with previous Messages:
10.2
10.6
9.a
9.c
Targets: 9.a Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
9.c
Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in the least developed countries by 2020
10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.6 Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions
Description:
Title: Multi-stakeholder Participatory Approaches to Inclusive Telecom Regulations Development and Implementation
The session is aimed at inspiring and equipping participants with knowledge and resources on co-designing inclusive telecom policies and regulations. The session will bring together community network operators, technical experts, civil society organisations, policymakers and regulators to discuss multi-stakeholder participatory strategies in the development and implementation of inclusive Telecom regulations that create an enabling environment for community networks.
In the COVID-19 era, community networks are playing an increasingly important role in meeting the rising demand for affordable connectivity. In Africa, community networks are usually more than telecommunications infrastructure providers; they exist in support of economic and social activities, often aiming to minimise the outflow of economic value leaving the community to pay for connectivity services. Beyond access, they also create a platform that promotes building local capacities, as well as the creation and distribution of locally relevant content. Community networks, by design, go beyond simple access to deliver universal and meaningful connectivity. In Kenya and Zimbabwe, where the community networks are growing in size and number, there was positive regulatory change in 2021 with the introduction of the Community Networks Service Provider licenses by the regulator.
This session will showcase community networks organisations’ experiences and insights gained from developing innovative and effective digital inclusion strategies, solutions, and policies. It will also discuss the actual and potential impact of partnerships between other digital inclusion stakeholders, such as development agencies, policymakers and regulators and community networks grassroots movements in channelling resources and institutionalising effective policies and regulations at scale.
It will explore how grassroots comunity networks movements and decision-makers engage with and learn from one another to formulate and implement policies and programs that are responsive to the priorities of those historically marginalized from public planning processes. The session will focus on grassroots engagement with local and national stakeholders, reflecting on strategies to build trust and partnership with the government and other decision-makers, and making a case for the inclusion of grassroots voices in shaping policies and regulations.
The expected session outcome will be follow-up discussions at national levels between community networks organisations and other stakeholders such as Telecom regulators and ICT policymakers. We will also develop and publish a blog article that will be shared on each of the respective participants' websites, including Internet Society and APC.org.
Hybrid Format: Possibly zoom and similar app.
Usage of IGF Official Tool.