UNESCO’s Internet Universality principles stood at the centre of the online discussion on Building Trust and advancing human rights through evidence-based Internet policies and Internet Universality held at the Stockholm Internet Forum 2021 on 12 May 2021.
Organized in collaboration with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the event explored Internet risks and opportunities and focused on how UNESCO’s Internet Universality Indicators can be instrumental to drive co-creation of an Internet ecosystem that is ROAM-X: human Rights-based, Open, Accessible, Multistakeholder-shaped and inclusive.
In her opening speech, Marielza Oliveira, UNESCO’s Director for Partnerships and Operational Programme Monitoring, highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an accelerated pace of digitalization of life, learning, work and play.
We need Internet more than ever, but we need a Human Rights-based Internet. An Internet that is universal not only in connecting everyone, but also in being underpinned by universal values and principles. Cyberspace is human space and must adhere to human principles.
Anriette Estherhuysen, Executive Director at APC and IGF’s MAG Chair, stressed that stakeholders need evidence to address the digital divide, understand its impact on communities and formulate recommendations that can turn into actionable national policies.
The Internet Universality Indicators (IUIs) are an opportunity to raise awareness not only towards researchers, but also towards the general population and legislators, to recognize the digital gaps in terms of policy.
Sadaf Khan, Grace Githaiga and Matthias C. Kettemann, the leading researchers of the national assessments of Internet Universality Indicators in Pakistan, Kenya and Germany, shared their national experiences. They underlined that the holistic and multistakeholder approach of the IUIs fosters synergies and partnerships between various Internet stakeholders. They also recommended that Internet universality analysis be done periodically, to continuously identify gaps and seize opportunities.
Digital considerations have now become integral to all policymaking. Experts concluded that it is in the best interests of every country to apply UNESCO’s ROAM-X principles and indicators for creating an inclusive and human rights-based digital ecosystem, leaving no one behind.