UNESCO Multistakeholder consultation at 8th Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF)

UNESCO takes the occasion to present its new project “Defining Internet Universality Indicators” and engage with Asia-Pacific stakeholders, including young experts, at the 8^th Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) for their inputs and contributions. This is a part of a global consultation to develop a set of Internet Universality indicators. The project is an immediate response following UNESCO’s adoption of the ‘CONNECTing the Dots’ Outcome document in 2015, where UNESCO put the concept of ‘Internet Universality’ at the heart of its work to promote an Internet that works for all. Internet universality points to four fundamental norms – known for short as the ROAM principles – which are the guiding framework that promotes an Internet based on:

Rights (R)

Openness (O)

Accessibility (A)

Multistakeholder Participation (M)

The project aims to elaborate appropriate Internet indicators, which can serve to enrich the stakeholders’ capacity for assessing Internet development, broaden international consensus, and foster online democracy and human rights towards knowledge societies engaged in sustainable development. These indicators will help governments and other stakeholders to assess their own national Internet environments and to promote the values associated with Internet Universality. Special attention will be paid to gender and to the needs and interests of children and young people. There will be a mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators. The work on the project to define Internet Universality indicators is being led for UNESCO by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).

The 8^th APrIGF is of high pertinence to the Internet Universality Indicators because it serves as a multi-stakeholder platform for public policy on Internet and its impact on society. It draws discussions and powers collaborations for the developments of universally affordable, accessible, non-discriminated, secure and sustainable Internet across the region, which are the focus topics of UNESCO’s multi-stakeholder consultation; as well as addressing gender inclusion and the inclusion of children and young people in the Internet environment.

The session will start with a brief presentation of the draft indicators and brief remarks from the speakers. The moderator will structure the discussion into five slots on Human Rights, Openness, Access, Multi-stakeholderism and crosscutting dimension and will invite all of you to take the floor. Focus groups will possibly be created to facilitate more in-depth discussion among participants. Some key questions will be asked to all participants regarding your experience of gathering and using Internet indicators within your country/area of work or the most important issues related to human rights, openness, accessibility and multistakeholder approach that should be included in the Internet Universality indicators.

A draft background paper on Defining Internet Universality Indicators will be shared and released before the session as a basis for discussion.

Written contribution is welcome via UNESCO email: [email protected]

An online platform for consultation will be available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/internetuniversality

In-Person Co-Moderators: Ms. Xianhong Hu; Ms. Chat Garcia Ramilo

Speakers

Presentation of the project

• Ms Xianhong Hu, UNESCO

Speakers on Human Rights dimension indicators

• Ms Gayatri Khandahai, APC
• Ms. Anja Kovacs, Internet Democracy Project

Speakers on Openness indicators

• Ms Xue Hong, Beijing Normal University

Speakers on Accessibility indicators

• Mr. Winston Roberts, International Federation of Library Associations & Institutions
• Ms. Piyawan Suwattanathum, UNESCO Bangkok Education

Speakers on Multi-stakeholderism indicators

• Mr. Sunil Abraham, Center for Internet Society
• Mr. Naveed Haq, ISOC
• Ms. Joyce Chen, ICANN

Speakers on Crosscutting dimension indicators

• Ms. Bishakha Datta, Point of View

Vidushi participated in the following meetings on July 26:

• Fellowship Morning Meeting
• Meet & Greet for Fellows & Buddies

• Sharing of IG/Internet in your economies

• Expectation Setting & Quick Brief of 3 days agenda

• Capacity Building Day (13:00 - 18:30)

• Welcome Social for Fellows @CU International House

The following meetings on July 27:

• Opening Plenary
• Synthesis Document Townhall Sessions
• Respective sub-theme sessions assigned for rapporteur work
• Closing Plenary

Digital Asia Hub and CIS workshop on "Technology and Extremism" was a highlight of the event.

Vidushi moderated a panel discussing the PT project and sharing key findings, titled: "Towards Sustainable Development in Asia Pacific: Mobile Internet and Access to Knowledge in the Marketplace".

Vidushi also attended the Global Partners Digital Event on the GCCS. List of APrIGF fellows can be accessed here.