Session
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: We are seeking active input from all stakeholders, alongside sharing key approaches from cross-regional governments and organisations. This format is flexible and the session can be adapted for different rooms. The session will start with a brief introduction to the session from the onsite moderator and opening remarks from the speakers, before participants will be steered to share perspectives, experiences, and approaches to identify where and how different actors from civil society, industry, academia and the technical community can have most impact in ensuring accountable, inclusive and effective solutions. Participants will leave with an enhanced understanding of the benefits of multistakeholder governance, actionable recommendations on ensuring more inclusive and secure approaches to harnessing digital development and growth opportunities.
In today’s interconnected world, digital technologies continue to pose a range of enduring and novel challenges across the cyber and technological domains.
From cybersecurity threats to data privacy concerns to the digital divide and ethical implications of emerging technologies, developing solutions to these complex and interconnected issues demands a collaborative, inclusive and accountable approach.
The internet and digital technologies are fundamental to realising the Sustainable Development Goals. This session asks the multistakeholder community of experts how to ensure future policy making supports equitable access and tackling of the digital divide while promoting cyber security and and upholding key principles for rights respecting tech governance, such as in the development of emerging tech and digital public infrastructure. Ensuring equality in cybersecurity policymaking (16.7) should remove barriers to participation and access (10.2) and thereby promote an inclusive fourth industrial revolution (9.2) Key Questions for Discussion: - How can we ensure that all relevant stakeholders, including marginalized groups, have a voice in the decision-making process? - What best practices from successful multistakeholder initiatives can be applied to enhance cooperation? - How can we balance the interests of different stakeholders to achieve fair and effective governance outcomes? The 2025 IGF, taking place at a critical time alongside discussions on implementing the GDC and the WSIS+20 review, presents a valuable opportunity to convene an array of perspectives from different geographies, organisations and backgrounds to discuss how they can continue bringing their expertise to bear on a range of existing and new challenges.
This session will be run as a hybrid event to be as inclusive as possible.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Government, WEOG
Panellists:
- Alessandra Lustrati, Head of Digital Development Cluster, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
- Leonard Mabele, Research Fellow, Telecommunications & Manager, Internet of Things (IoT) Research, Strathmore University, Kenya
- Maria Paz Canales, Head of Policy and Advocacy, Global Partners Digital
- Professor Luzango Mfupe, CSIR Principal researcher
- Samantha O’Riordan, Programme Officer, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU
Moderators:
- Neil Wilson, (moderator and Chair, in-person) Multilateral and Industry Engagement Officer, Cyber Policy Department, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
- Aisha Simon (moderator, online) Team Lead, Cyber Governance Strategy and Engagement, Cyber Policy Department, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
- Robert Pellow (moderator, online) , Support Officer, Cyber Policy Department, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
Targets: 9. - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation; especially 9.1 and 9.c 10. - Reduce inequality within and among countries; especially 10.2 and 10.3 16. - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; especially 16.6, 16.7, 16.8, 16.10, and 16.a This also has relevance across Gender Equality - %.