Session
Organizer 1: Jahangir Ramsha, Global Network Initiative
Organizer 2: Agustina Del Campo, 🔒
Organizer 3: Elonnai Hickok, Global Network Initiative
Speaker 1: Isabelle Lois, Senior Policy Advisor, Federal Office of Communications OFCOM, Switzerland - Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Bruna Martins, IGF MAG Member
Speaker 3: Flavia Alves, Meta
Ramsha Jahangir, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Ramsha Jahangir, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Classroom
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: Our session will follow a moderated discussion where panelists will be seated in front of the participants. We we will allow 15 mins per panelist, with the moderator giving a brief introduction to the topic and speaker. We will have 10mins at the end for Q/A from online and on-site participants.
A. How well do current initiatives, such as the IGF, GDC, WSIS+20, and NETMundial, truly embody and utilize multistakeholder engagement? B. How can we ensure that multistakeholder processes deliver on their promise of inclusive, effective, and accountable internet governance? C. How can we bridge the gap between different multistakeholder processes and initiatives to create a more unified and informed approach? D. How can we ensure all participants in multistakeholder processes contribute meaningfully and the outcomes reflect a diverse range of perspectives? E. What are the key challenges and opportunities for strengthening multistakeholder engagement in internet governance?
What will participants gain from attending this session? This panel is designed for a broad audience interested in internet governance, including policymakers, civil society representatives, technology companies, academics, and the public. By fostering a conversation among diverse stakeholders, this panel aims to deepen understanding of the multistakeholder model of internet governance, and take stock of key challenges and opportunities for future collaboration. This panel will offer a valuable space for exploring the critical role of multistakeholder good practices in shaping a more inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital future. Participants will be able to identify areas for improvement within existing multistakeholder processes, develop recommendations for more inclusive, effective, and collaborative internet governance, and explore approaches to bridge the gap between different initiatives.
Description:
Over the last decade, use of the term “multistakeholder” has proliferated in the context of diverse projects, initiatives, and organizations related to technology governance. And yet too many processes, initiatives, and proposals that claim to embody “multistakeholderism” have failed to live up to them into practice. In 2024, a myriad of processes and initiatives at the intersection of sustainable development and Internet governance will continue to come to a head and the work of defining and defending the importance of multistakeholder engagement in Internet governance will be critical. The annual IGF is an essential avenue for discussing some of the foremost challenges in a rapidly evolving field, on a consistent and timely basis, which facilitates predictability, transparency, and accountability. This year, in particular, it can play an additional role: it can serve as a venue for examining the outcomes of other key convenings, including the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the WSIS+20 High-Level Event, NETMundial +10, and the Summit of the Future. This session will assess these processes through a multistakeholder lens, examining how effectively they embody this principle. In this session, we’ll hear from speakers representing different stakeholders involved in the various global processes at national, regional, and international levels to review outcomes of internet governance processes, including WSIS+20, GDC, and NetMundial. The discussion will identify gaps, and explore key challenges and opportunities for strengthening multistakeholder engagement through IGF and how it can ensure coordination and synergies in the digital cooperation system.
The session is part of our broader work to inform multistakeholder processes and ensure stakeholder engagement is meaningful, inclusive and consistent. This session will build on broader efforts to implement rights-based and multistakeholder approach to internet governance.
Hybrid Format: A dedicated online and on-site support person will be available to address any technical issues faced by online participants. We plan to use an online platform like Zoom to allow online participants to ask questions from the panelists and a person will be available to moderate online chat and coordinate with the moderator present on-site. If IGF allows, we are also open to sharing the session recording online, allowing those who missed the live session to access the content later. GNI is a remote organization with staff based in multiple timezones allowing us to ensure online and onsite participation are running smoothly.