IGF 2023 DC-SIG Involving Schools of Internet Governance in achieving SDGs

Time
Wednesday, 11th October, 2023 (01:30 UTC) - Wednesday, 11th October, 2023 (03:00 UTC)
Room
WS 11 – Room J
DC
Dynamic Coalition on Schools of Internet Governance

Round Table - 90 Min

Description

Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) are an important initiatives that help with creating and strengthening capacity in Internet Governance. Regional SIGs have been operating in all the regions of the world, while national SIGs exist in many, but not all, countries. The DC-SIGs provides a common platform where SIGs can discuss matters of their interest, share information, share innovations and discuss adaptive mechanisms as they evolve. While the global pandemic did adversely impact many SIGs, most are now back in a fully functional manner.



This session will take stock of the current status of SIGs, support community members who want to establish SIGs in countries that do not have them, and examine how SIGs can improve themselves by adapting new programmes and courses.



As part of each yearly meeting, the DC SIG takes on a topic of specific interest for discussion and further development of plans. This year, looking at how the DC SIG can contribute to developing curricula in support of SDGs will be the focus.

.

Discuss the creation of specific curricula for SIGs related to the SDG



- General issues involved

- Topic Specifics

--How are they created?

--Are Specialists needed.?

--For which SDGs would we plan on creating curricula modules:

SDG 5 on Gender,

SDG 7 on Energy,

SDG 13 on Climate Change,

SDG11 on Sustainable Smart Cities.

Organizers

Avri Doria, Technicalities, TC/CS, WEOG

Raymond Mamattah, Ghana School on Internet Governance, Africa.

Satish Babu, APSIG/inSIG, Asia-Pacific

Olorundare James Kunle, Nigerian School on Internet Governance

Olga Cavalli, South School on Internet Governance - GRULAC

Sandra Hoferichter, EuroSSIG, WEOG

Muriel ALAPINI Benin IGF, Africa

Luiza Mesquita Brazilian School on Internet Governance, GRULAC

Speakers

Organizers & Teachers from Schools on Internet Governance (TBD), including:



- Raymond Mamattah, Ghana School on Internet Governance, Africa

- Avri Doria, Teacher at EuroSSIG, and at other schools, e.g. AfriSIG, NASIG

- Olga Cavalli, South School on Internet Governance - GRULAC

- Wolfgang Kleinwaechter, EuroSSIG, WEOG

 

Onsite Moderator
Satish Babu, Olga Cavalli
Online Moderator
Olorundare James Kunle
Rapporteur
Raymond Mamattah , Muriel ALAPINI
SDGs

5.2, 5.5, 7.a, 7.b, 13.2, 17.16, 17.18, 17.7

Targets: While Schools can prepare curricula that would be useful in the case of many of the SDGs, the first ones to get a deep dive in the search for specific plans will be: - SDG 5 on Gender, - SDG 7 on Energy, - SDG 13 on Climate Change, - SDG 17 on Capacity Building and Technology

Key Takeaways (* deadline 2 hours after session)

- Issues involving SDGs are considered in many schools. This meeting heard reports on: SDG 5 on Gender, SDG 7 on access to energy, SDG 16 on Pearce and Justice. In follow up discussions, 1.8 in terms of economic aspects and 9.5 in terms of access were also discussed.

- SIGs are becoming reference resources on IG in many countries on topics such as: cybersecurity and regulatory frameworks. These can serve to bring clarity to the IG understanding in a country among citizens and government officials.

Call to Action (* deadline 2 hours after session)

- While SIGs discuss topics concerning SDGs, they do not always do so explicitly. While each of the schools decides on its own curricula and modalities, doing so explicitly could be considered in future courses.

- While the SIGs can have a well established curricula they can also adapt the content to special target groups to produce flexible and adaptable content. The SIGs can share their resources on the DC SIGs wiki and website provided by the Dynamic Coalition to help others and to promote their own efforts and achievements.

Session Report (* deadline 26 October) - click on the ? symbol for instructions

 

Session Presentation

Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) are an important initiative that help with creating and strengthening capacity in Internet Governance. Regional SIGs have been operating in all the regions of the world, while national SIGs exist in many, but not all, countries. The DC-SIG provides a common platform where SIGs can discuss matters of their interest, share information, share innovations and discuss adaptive mechanisms as they evolve. While the global pandemic did adversely impact many SIGs, most are now back in a fully functional manner.

This session took stock of the current status of SIGs, support community members who want to establish SIGs in countries that do not have them, and examined how SIGs can improve themselves by adapting new programmes and courses.

As part of each yearly meeting, the DC-SIG takes on a topic of specific interest for discussion and further development of plans. This year, the DC looked at how the DC SIG can contribute to developing curricula in support of SDGs as the focus.

1- Slideshow of existing SIGs was shown and a presentation of the recently formed Japan SIG. New schools were given a chance to describe their schools.

2- Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) and their impact to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)SDG 5,7 and 16)

SDG 5 on gender equality. 

  • Ms Sandra Hoferichter (EuroSSIG)

Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) contribute to this SDG because they are inclusive and the thematics are various. SIGs are a good effort  to fill the gender gap in education and to help promote women in leadership positions. For many years the application numbers of the EuroSSIG  show that more women are interested in these  topics.

  • Anriette Esterhuysen: AfriSIG addresses SDG 5 through developing women as leaders in IG and by including gender specific topics in the programme. Examples would be sessions on online gender-based violence and on the gender digital divide and how to respond.
     
  • Ashrafur Rahman Piaus (bdSIG)
    Bangladesh SIG works with the rural people on the SDG 5 and 9 by having women in their school and helping them achieve including transgender and many other marginalized community also 

SDG 7 on access to energy 

  • Ms Olga Cavalli (South SIG and Argentina SIG)

Access to energy has a great link with climate change. So in this SIG they have a few panels discussing the impact of consuming energy. The other aspect of energy, it’s important to notice that there is a gap between some areas which have access to energy and others don’t. In the SIG, they talked with different experts and panelists about this issue.

Other SDGs

  • Mr Alexander Isavnin (Russia SIG) speaks on SDG about peace and justiceThe SIGs can help build new standards. Help enforce the multistakeholder process like in ICANN. Also enforces inclusion and effectiveness.
  • SDG 8.6 Pakistan SIG conducts a session on digital entrepreneurship inspiring the youth to capitalize on the economic opportunities on  the internet.  For the SDG 9.5 (c), Access to the internet, they organize sessions on Access and Inclusion where Government and private sector brief the audience about their plans for expansion of ICT services and state of infrastructure in that city/area where school is being held (pkSIG is held at a different city every year). 
  • Some SIGs sometimes discuss topics about SDGs but not all the timeSo it is a good point to dive in after this session to see how the SIGs are promoted and present in Japan  for example.
  • Abdeldjalil Bachar Bong for Chad SIG point is that  every SIG in their own and specific way already contributes  to the SDG topics  

Roundtable  Discussion on the evolution of SIGs

  • SIGs are becoming references on IG in many countries on different topics : cybersecurity, regulations, and need to bring clarity to the IG understandings
  • The SIGs can have a root in a solid curriculum and then adapt the content to a special target group to produce flexible and adaptable content. 
  • The SIGs  can share their resources on the SIGs wiki and website to help others and promote their own achievements. This may align with the concept of open education. 
  • There are different types of SIGs who cater for different groups of people.