Session
Subtheme
Speaker 1: Leon Cristian, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Bimsara Manannalage, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Hanane Boujemi, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Bimsara Manannalage, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Hanane Boujemi, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Moderator
Stephanie Borg Psaila, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Online Moderator
Mia Marzotto, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Rapporteur
Mia Marzotto, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The session will be divided into two main parts. First, speakers from a diverse group of organisations from different regions will share brief insights on their experiences facilitating and engaging in digital governance and accountability processes, including the implementation of digital governance commitments and frameworks at the national and regional levels. Second, a moderated discussion with input from both speakers and participants will explore the overarching topic of inclusive digital governance and implementation of digital governance commitments through three guiding questions: Where are we succeeding, where are we falling short, and what steps do we need to take next? These guiding questions will foster cross-regional and cross-expertise discussion, giving both speakers and participants the chance to share insights and recommendations. The session will also include dedicated Q&A time at the end for any questions and interventions from participants to speakers on topics not covered during the main discussion part.
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: The session will be divided into two main parts. First, speakers from a diverse group of organisations from different regions will share brief insights on their experiences facilitating and engaging in digital governance and accountability processes, including the implementation of digital governance commitments and frameworks at the national and regional levels. Second, a moderated discussion with input from both speakers and participants will explore the overarching topic of inclusive digital governance and implementation of digital governance commitments through three guiding questions: Where are we succeeding, where are we falling short, and what steps do we need to take next? These guiding questions will foster cross-regional and cross-expertise discussion, giving both speakers and participants the chance to share insights and recommendations. The session will also include dedicated Q&A time at the end for any questions and interventions from participants to speakers on topics not covered during the main discussion part.
Policy Question(s)
How can the multistakeholder model be best sustained and civil society engagement enhanced to promote human-centric, rights-respecting and accountable digital governance?
What role do CSOs and multistakeholder partnerships play in translating global digital governance commitments into practical, actionable solutions on the ground, in line with the needs of communities most vulnerable to or at-risk of digital harm?
How can technology itself be leveraged to support the implementation of digital governance commitments and achieve an inclusive, open and safe digital future for all?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will delve into and gain the insights of civil society and government representatives on raising the voices of underrepresented communities in digital governance processes and putting these communities at the centre of digital governance implementation efforts. They will share their perspectives, and learn about successful initiatives and promising efforts to strengthen the abilities of CSOs, and the people they serve, to engage meaningfully in the development and implementation of digital policies and standards, such as tech-facilitated advocacy, civic engagement and support to vulnerable individuals. Participants will have an opportunity to engage in an interactive discussion about addressing real-time challenges and finding pathways to collectively strengthen the multistakeholder approach and foster inclusive digital governance and accountability.
Description:
This session will focus on how civil society organisations (CSOs), in cooperation with other stakeholders, have been translating global digital governance commitments into actionable solutions on the ground. It will specifically address the practical ways in which technology has been leveraged through innovative partnerships and across different contexts to identify and implement effective solutions to the governance challenges of the digital era. In recent years, multistakeholder digital cooperation processes have led to the adoption of multiple commitments on digital governance. However, efforts to promote balanced participation in these processes have faltered, often leading to a disconnect between high-level decisions and the realities of people, especially those most vulnerable and exposed to digital threats and harm. This situation reflects the challenges CSOs, particularly those from the Global South, face in accessing and participating in digital governance decision-making. It also has implications for CSOs’ ability to support the implementation and follow-up of digital policies and standards to ensure the needs of underrepresented communities are met. As ambitious reforms and decisions are being made, including during the WSIS+20 review process, the Global Digital Compact process, and ongoing dialogues on AI governance, the stakes could not be higher. The need to ensure people’s lived experiences are at the heart of digital governance commitments and their implementation could not be more urgent. In light of this situation, this session will centre on the insights of actors involved in global, regional and national processes, responding to the concerns of participants who have not found digital governance policies to align with digital governance practices. The session will use interactive dialogue to identify how to best sustain a multistakeholder approach to implement digital governance commitments and enhance CSOs’ engagement and the use of technology to achieve an inclusive, open and safe digital future for all.
This session will focus on how civil society organisations (CSOs), in cooperation with other stakeholders, have been translating global digital governance commitments into actionable solutions on the ground. It will specifically address the practical ways in which technology has been leveraged through innovative partnerships and across different contexts to identify and implement effective solutions to the governance challenges of the digital era. In recent years, multistakeholder digital cooperation processes have led to the adoption of multiple commitments on digital governance. However, efforts to promote balanced participation in these processes have faltered, often leading to a disconnect between high-level decisions and the realities of people, especially those most vulnerable and exposed to digital threats and harm. This situation reflects the challenges CSOs, particularly those from the Global South, face in accessing and participating in digital governance decision-making. It also has implications for CSOs’ ability to support the implementation and follow-up of digital policies and standards to ensure the needs of underrepresented communities are met. As ambitious reforms and decisions are being made, including during the WSIS+20 review process, the Global Digital Compact process, and ongoing dialogues on AI governance, the stakes could not be higher. The need to ensure people’s lived experiences are at the heart of digital governance commitments and their implementation could not be more urgent. In light of this situation, this session will centre on the insights of actors involved in global, regional and national processes, responding to the concerns of participants who have not found digital governance policies to align with digital governance practices. The session will use interactive dialogue to identify how to best sustain a multistakeholder approach to implement digital governance commitments and enhance CSOs’ engagement and the use of technology to achieve an inclusive, open and safe digital future for all.
Expected Outcomes
This session has two main expected outcomes: (1) contribute to the gathering of learning about civil society engagement in digital governance processes, and (2) support the identification of successful tech-based initiatives, promising efforts and possible next steps to strengthen such engagement and ensure participation of underrepresented communities in the implementation of digital governance commitments and frameworks. Follow-up to the session will be ensured through ongoing work by the organisers in the framework of two multi-year, multi-country projects, implemented with the support of the European Union. The projects are: (1) ReCIPE (Recentering the Civic Internet through Partner Engagement), led by Oxfam in partnership with ten CSOs from the Global South; and (2) CADE (Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment), led by DiploFoundation in collaboration with eight diverse Global North - Global South organisations.
Hybrid Format: Participants will engage in an interactive discussion using an online tool and/or remarks and questions directly to the speakers, to foster real-time engagement. The session will use guiding questions shared with both onsite and online attendees and open discussions to draw out experiences and opinions, creating a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere. Additionally, the online moderator will work with the onsite moderator to ensure that all comments and questions from online attendees are shared with onsite speakers and attendees and responded to as needed.