Internet Governance Forum 2019: Improving evidence-based Internet policies using the R.O.A.M.-X Indicators

This “Day Zero” pre-event at the Internet Governance Forum in Berlin will focus on the implementation of UNESCO’s Internet Universality ROAM-X Indicators.

After a presentation of the ROAM-X framework, results from ongoing national assessments of Internet development using these indicators will be showcased.

The two-year global, multi-stakeholder consultation process to define Internet Universality ROAM-X Indicators culminated in November 2018, as UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) Council gave stakeholders the green light to conduct voluntary assessments of Internet development at national level using the final ROAM-X framework

In conjunction with multi-stakeholder partners, this pre-event is dedicated to presenting the R.O.A.M.-X indicators framework and showcasing the initial national assessment results using these indicators as conducted in a number of countries across 5 regions.

The ROAM-X indicators framework is a unique and powerful resource developed through an extensive process of research, consultation and analysis. The work of national assessments aim to measure all six categories of indicators (either full 303 indicators or the core 110 ones) in a country. The national assessment process aims to:
• present a clear and substantive understanding of the national Internet environment and policies;
• assess that environment and policies are in conform to UNESCO’s R.O.A.M. principles
• develop policy recommendations and practical initiatives that will enable the country to meet their goals and to align to with UNESCO principles as the Internet evolves.

UNESCO has been working in above 25 countries across five continents to deploy national level implementation process in the past 8 months. A total of 10 country assessments using the ROAM-X Indicators have been successfully kicked off and are under implementation during 2019-2020. Meanwhile, an increasing number of expressions of interest to assess the indicators by national stakeholders have been received and UNESCO has started discussion and consideration of them with those key actors in above 20 countries.

UNESCO thus take this pre-event as a great opportunity to showcase the initial assessment results from a dozen countries in order to share good practices and lessons learned of conducting national assessments of indicators at national level.

UNESCO invites stakeholders to debate on how to implement those policy recommendations at national level. UNESCO encourages IGF stakeholders to consider conducting national assessment using R.O.A.M.-X indicators in more countries and trigger the policy debates for improving the Internet development at national and global levels.

UNESCO encourages and welcomes those key actors and research institutions and individuals to express their interest in supporting the national assessments process and stands ready to join partnership and synergy agreements.

UNESCO will also offer onsite training to interested actors and research teams on the implementation process and research methodology for them to conduct national assessment of indicators in their countries.

Webpage: https://en.unesco.org/themes/internet-universality-indicators