NRIs Virtual Meeting XII_UNESCO Briefing

 

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL IGF INITIATIVES

- Virtual Meeting XII, 15 September 2017, 15:00 p.m. UTC -

SUMMARY REPORT
 UNESCO Briefing on the Project: Defining Internet universality indicators

 

About 

  1. The 12th virtual meeting of the National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs), took place on 15 September at 15:00 p.m. UTC.  
     
  2. The meeting was hosted and moderated by the IGF Secretariat’s NRIs Focal Point, Ms. Anja Gengo. Agenda is attached to this document as Annex A1 and a list of meeting participants as Annex A2.  List of input documents is attached as Annex A3.
     
  3. Meeting was divided into two parts. The first part focused on briefing by UNESCO representatives, on the project called: Internet universality indicators. The second part focused on the NRIs Main Session. This summary report reflects the key points raised during the first segment. For the second segment, the summary report is available here.
     

UNESCO Briefing

  1. The UNESCO representative (Ms. Xianhong Hu) open the floor by thanking the IGF Secretariat and the NRIs network for the opportunity to join the XII NRIs meeting and brief the participants on the ongoing project focused on defining the Internet universality indicators. In addition, the NRIs were complimented for their impressive and valuable internal organization, individual and collective work as a network.
     
  2. It was explained that this project draws on UNESCO’s experience with the Media Development Indicators (MDIs), and is focused on four key fundamental principles, which are:
    • Human rights
    • Openness
    • Accessibility, and
    • Governance models
       
  3. These indicators will be developed through two-phase public consultations. The first phase consultations are underway until the end of October 2017. During this period, all stakeholders, individuals and organizations, are invited to submit their responses to a questionnaire, available at the UNESCO website. These submissions will help the expert team to understand what aspects should be included in a general framework, and it will help in identifying potential policy gaps in order to create a framework applicable to all regions and countries. The questionnaire is available on all six UN languages, and the submission deadline is 31 October 2017.
     
  4. It was noted that the UNESCO team attended the EuroDIG and APrIGF annual meetings, and that these meetings were very helpful in understanding the community’s needs and perspectives. In addition, the UNESCO team reported back to their field offices about the importance of these meetings.
     
  5. It was suggested that the NRIs engagement to this project could be done through submitting their responses to the questionnaire, and promoting the questionnaire through their networks. They were invited to join the round table consultations, onsite or remotely and contribute to expert discussion on the matter. The first draft, as a general framework, will be developed after the questionnaire submission deadline (end of October). During the second phase, that will be from 1 November until April 2018, the expert team will focus on looking if the developed framework is applicable on all countries and regions, and the NRIs are seen as important partners in this phase as well.  
     
  6. The UNESCO expert team considers attending the 2017 African IGF meeting, and organizing a pre-event or a post-event, in order to run public consultations.
     
  7. After the second phase, it was informed that a national level assessment reporting will be launched.
     
  8. The IGF-USA co-coordinator advised that the UNESCO expert team should be focusing on the national IGF initiatives as they represent primary source of information and needed data. It was advised to consider participating remotely at the national IGF annual meetings.
     
  9. Upon a question from some coordinators, the UNESCO representative suggested that it could be useful to organize a multilateral meeting with the NRIs during the IGF 2017 meeting in Geneva, as many are interested to liaise and collaborate with the NRIs. The IGF Secretariat acknowledge this suggestion, and noted that consultations among the NRIs on this subject will be run.
     
  10. The Afghanistan IGF coordinator asked about the ways the UNESCO plans to liaise with the national IGF initiatives. It was responded that the national field UNESCO offices are been encouraged to learn more about the NRIs, and engage as much as their capacity will allow.
     
  11. On a question if the questionnaire aims for prioritizing certain topics, it was responded that the questionnaire is open, and seeks for qualitative inputs that will indicate what are the views of relevance. The expert team (composed of the APC and UNESCO experts) will work on received inputs in order to analyze received inputs and synthesis them for developing indicators.
     
  12. Upon several questions, the NRIs were advised to respond to the questionnaire either as the NRIs, organizations or individuals.
     

Next Steps

  1. The IGF Secretariat will share the summary report of the major key points from this briefing via the NRIs mailing list.
     
  2. The direct contact information of the UNESCO representative on this call will be shared with the NRIs, upon their request.
     
  3. Next meeting: The Secretariat will consult the NRIs on the suggestion to have a multilateral meeting with different IGOs at the IGF 2017 meeting in Geneva, as suggested. If there will be interest, the IGF Secretariat will organize this meeting in collaboration with the NRIs.  
     
  4. For any suggestions or questions regarding this summary report, kindly contact the IGF Secretariat, NRIs Focal Point at: [email protected].

 

ANNEX A1: 

National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs)
MEETING AGENDA: Virtual Meeting XII

  1. Welcome and introduction [10 minutes]
  2. Updates from UNESCO colleagues on the 'Internet Universality Indicators' Project + Q&A [15 minutes]
  3. NRIs Main Session: format and content [40 minutes]
  4. Proposals for the moderator(s) for the NRIs Main Session [15 minutes]
  5. Overview of the NRIs Collaborative Sessions [10 minutes]
  6. AoB

 

ANNEX A2:  

MEETING PARTICIPANTS (in alphabetical order, from both meeting):

  1. Aleksandar Icokaev, Macedonia (FYR) IGF
  2. Anja Gengo, IGF Secretariat
  3. Dave Kissoondoyal, Mauritius IGF
  4. Denaya Dennis, South Sudan IGF (* in formation)
  5. Dušan Caf, Slovenia IGF
  6. Élisson Diones, Youth LACIGF
  7. Fotjon Kosta, Albania IGF
  8. Frederico Links, Namibia IGF
  9. HAFEDH Yahmadi, Tunisia IGF
  10. Jennifer Chung, APrIGF
  11. John Tucker, Ecuador IGF
  12. Julian Casasbuenas G., Colombia IGF
  13. Mahamat Haroun Adoum, Chad IGF
  14. Maheeshwara Kirindigoda, Sri Lanka
  15. Mahendranath Busgopaul, Mauritius
  16. Maria Luisa Ferreira, Portugal IGF
  17. Marilyn Cade, IGF-USA
  18. Mary  Uduma, Nigeria IGF, West Africa IGF
  19. Michel  TCHONANG LINZE , Central Africa IGF
  20. Nigel Cassimire, Caribbean IGF
  21. Nouradine  Abdelkerim Youssouf, Chad IGF
  22. Omar Mansoor Ansari, Afghanistan IGF
  23. Paul Rowney, Namibia IGF
  24. Said Bensbih, Morocco IGF
  25. Sandra Hoferichter, EuroDIG
  26. Simon Ishaku, Nigeria IGF
  27. Sorina Teleanu, SEEDIG
  28. Xianhong Hu, UNESCO
  29. Zdravko Jukic, Croatia IGF
  30. Zoraida Frias, Spain IGF

 

ANNEX A3:  

List of shared input documents:

  • NRIs collaborative sessions, overview (page 4).