Session
Women in Internet Governance
1. Raymond Mamatta , E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA)/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society, Africa 2. Gloria F. Amofah-Adjekum Women in Internet Governance (WIG) , Civil Society , Africa 3. June Parris Women In Internet Governance(WIG) Leadership panel Committee member, LAC, ISOC Civil Society , Role Member NRI representative 4. Betty Fausta 5. Harisa Shahid, Information Security Engineer & NetMission Ambassador/ Women in Internet Governance , Technical community, Asia 6. Mary Rose Ofianga Wadhwani Foundation / Women in Internet Governance, Civil Society , Asia Pacific 7. Natalie Tercova IGF Czechia/ Women in Internet Governance(WIG), Technical Community , Eastern Europe 8. Pari Esfandiari, Global Technopolitics Forum/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society , WEOG 9. Dr. Houda CHICHI, Senior researcher at InnovCOM Lab of Sup’COM/ Women in Internet Governance, Technical community, African group region, Africa 10. Sarata Omane , E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA)/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society , Africa 11. Olayinka Wilson-Kofi, Ericsson ( Middle East &Africa)/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society, Africa 12. Prerna Chhetri,
1. Raymond Mamattah , E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA)/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society, Africa 2. Gloria F. Amofah-Adjekum, Women in Internet Governance (WIG) , Civil Society , Africa 3. June Parris, Women in Internet Governance(WIG), Leadership panel Committee member LAC, ISOC, Civil Society , Role Member NRI representative, 4. Betty Fausta Women in Internet Governance 5. Harisa Shahid, Information Security Engineer & NetMission Ambassador/ Women in Internet Governance , Technical community, Asia 6. Mary Rose Ofianga Wadhwani Foundation / Women in Internet Governance, Civil Society , Asia Pacific 7. Natalie Tercova IGF Czechia/ Women in Internet Governance(WIG), Technical Community , Eastern Europe 8. Pari Esfandiari, Global Technopolitics Forum/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society, WEOG 9. Dr. Houda CHICHI, Senior researcher at InnovCOM Lab of Sup’COM/ Women in Internet Governance, Technical community, African group region, Africa 10. Sarata Omane , E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA)/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society , Africa 11. Olayinka Wilson-Kofi, Ericsson ( Middle East &Africa)/ Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Civil Society, Africa 12. Prerna Chhetri , Thimphu Techpark Ltd/Women in Internet Governance (WIG), Technical Community , Asia Pacific
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
10. Reduced Inequalities
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: SDG 4 (Quality Education) – Ensuring that women are involved in Internet governance discussions will be achieved through this initiative by offering them training workshops and mentorship programs through which they will learn the necessary expertise to engage actively. It will also entail opportunities for knowledge sharing, where participants can get updates on current and future digital policy trends in internet governance. SDG 5 (Gender Equality) – To increase the representation of women in Internet governance by empowering them with the required knowledge, skills, and networks that would enable them to take leadership positions in digital policy, especially in Internet Governance. It will also address systemic barriers, through mentorship and capacity-building programs, that limit women’s involvement and participation in decision-making processes. SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth)- The initiative will support women's career growth in technology and digital policy by pushing for equal opportunities, encouraging leadership pathways, and creating platforms for women to demonstrate their expertise in the field. In its effort to close the gender gap in digital governance and contribute to a diverse and innovative workforce. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)- In Internet governance and policy-making, women remain underrepresented compared to men in this area of expertise. This program aims to tackle these discrepancies by equipping women with resources and networking connections and offering them chances to participate in governance discussions at both global and regional levels so that their perspectives can influence important decisions. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)-Building teamwork is essential, for driving progress in enhancing gender equality and inclusivity initiatives over the long term in the area of promoting women in Internet governance efforts; this endeavour involves forging alliances with various sectors such, as governmental entities, private enterprises civil society groups and academic institutions The collaborative strategy is geared towards leveraging diverse skills and resources in order make significant changes
Roundtable
45-minute panel discussion with speakers from different regions. The session will have opening remarks, a moderated discussion on key issues, and a Q&A session for both onsite and online participants."
The Launch of Women in Internet Governance initiative during this event marks the collaboration to address challenges and increase the representation of women in decision-making processes and policy frameworks. However, women remain significantly underrepresented in digital policies (Harcourt, 1999), impeding the incorporation of diverse perspectives in decision-making processes. This initiative seeks to reduce this gap by promoting the participation of women in leadership roles and decision-making processes, mentorship programs and leadership development initiatives, while fostering collaboration among regions. During the IGF 2025 session focusing on the Universal Access and Digital Rights theme, the aim is to address the challenges that prevent women's participation in internet governance and propose strategies for creating improvements in this area. Women who have broken through the systemic barriers and made significant impacts will share their success stories. The event will feature distinguished speakers, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General, the former Acting ICANN CEO, representatives from UN Women, and leading women in cybersecurity and digital policy and women association groups During the launch, the Women in Internet Governance(WIG) leadership team who are representatives from the eight regional groupings of Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Europe, Latin America and Caribbean, Middle East, North America, Oceania will be introduced. Also, experts will explore the gender disparities, in policies and present solutions during a session that encourages interaction between attendees present both on-site and online to foster cross-regional collaboration and actionable commitments. Participants will be able to learn how to build partnerships and how to get involved in decision-making at local, regional and global levels. At the end of the session, participants should be able to: 1. Know the barriers that prevent women's involvement and participation in Internet governance and be able to break the status quo. 2. Describe and explain why it is important to increase the participation of women in Internet governance. 3. Develop strategies to address the identified challenges and promote women's increased participation in Internet governance. 4. Effectively, advocate for gender-inclusive digital governance to relevant stakeholders Also, after attending the meeting, participants will 1. Have a better understanding about what Women in Internet Governance is about and why they should join 2. Have the opportunity to understand and get more details about the WIG's female only fellowship 3. Learn from other high-flying women in Internet Governance and be motivated to up their games on how to engage more in the ecosystem 4. Members interested can join Reference Harcourt, W. (1999) Women@Internet: Creating New Cultures in Cyberspace. Palgrave Macmillan.
1. To ensure an engaging and inclusive workshop, we will employ both onsite and online moderators who will collaborate closely. The online moderator will actively monitor the chat, gather questions, and ensure that the perspectives of online participants are seamlessly integrated into the discussion. This dual-moderation approach fosters a cohesive experience for all attendees, regardless of their location. 2. The event aims to offer a smooth experience, for all participants with a planned schedule including talks by speakers and group conversations alongside interactive activities. Good audio and video quality will guarantee communication for those joining remotely; recorded clips and live stories from women in Internet management will showcase achievements. Engaging features, like sessions and social media involvement, will add depth to the event. 3. Zoom/WebEx/IGF Virtual Platform – For live participation and real-time discussions and also for Q&A and real-time feedback Maybe 1 or 2 quizzes to create commitment and impact? Slido/Mentimeter – To facilitate audience polls, Q&A, and real-time feedback. Also, Important conversations will be highlighted on media platforms, like Twitter ( X ) LinkedIn, and Instagram. Moreover, if suitable the event might be live-streamed on YouTube or Facebook Live to connect with an audience.