Key takeaways from engaging with Internet Governance Forum initiatives 

Civil society organisations (CSOs) play a vital role in the creation, promotion, and enforcement of effective digital governance. They bring valuable diverse perspectives to digital policy processes, especially those of marginalised communities. CSOs advocate for the application of internationally recognised digital rights and principles to ensure policy measures promote equality, equity, and non-discrimination while addressing the needs of those facing the most risk of digital harm. However, CSOs often encounter significant barriers when trying to access and participate in spaces where digital governance is discussed, developed, and established.  As a result, the voices of the global majority remain underrepresented in digital governance discussions, which can perpetuate the neglect of urgent digital rights issues that disproportionately affect marginalised groups such as young people, women, and LGBTQIA+ people. 

To address this underrepresentation, Oxfam and its partners are working under the framework of the ReCIPE project to enhance the capacity of CSOs to influence policy processes that protect digital rights and address digital harm. In the first year of the project’s implementation, we supported our partners’ engagement in a series of specific policy processes linked to the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The IGF brings together stakeholders from around the world to discuss good policies and practices related to the evolution, use, and accountability of the Internet and other technologies. Discussions at the IGF are informed by initiatives at national and regional levels—these initiatives are some of the most important spaces for CSOs to engage in dialogue with governments and other stakeholders on pressing digital governance issues affecting their respective communities. 

Our engagement in IGF initiatives around the world 

Here are some examples of how we supported our partners’ engagement in initiatives at the national and regional levels: 

  • Our partner, the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia (CCC), represented the ReCIPE project while contributing to the Phnom Penh Internet Forum. This forum was initiated by the Digital Rights Working Group to promote, protect, and create a dialogue platform about digital rights and internet freedom in the country.
  • SONSA, our partner in Somalia, contributed to a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to build a more inclusive digital ecosystem by supporting the organisation of the first Somalia IGF.
  • During the East Africa IGF, Oxfam facilitated a panel with speakers from civil society and the technical community in Uganda to discuss how young people across the region are leveraging technology to drive innovation, advocate for digital rights, and overcome challenges posed by the digital divide.