Description: This roundtable will serve as an opportunity to discuss unique challenges communities face around the world and some of the innovative projects currently being implemented to connect them, while working with key partners to amplify local sustainability and empowerment. It will bring together communities, technical experts, policy makers and civil society organizations representatives to share their views on how can Community Networks be an innovative a viable option to help connect the unconnected. It will give special focus on policy and regulatory frameworks discussing challenges and solutions envisioned to implement and promote this complementary model of connectivity. Representatives from different stakeholder groups will share their perspectives on research findings or their local access initiatives as well as on their responsibilities to create an enabling ecosystem for the emergence and growth of community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives in developing countries. Participants will also hear about convenings, such as the Indigenous Connectivity Summit, existing connectivity projects run by, for and with unserved people, and best practices moving forward. It will bring a perspective on how communities are creating an environment in which they can create innovative connectivity solutions, such as community networks, that lead to self-empowerment and sustainability, as well as inclusion of women and young people for socio-economic development through connectivity partnerships. The roundtable is provisionally composed by the following speakers: Technical Community Sebastian Bellagamba, ISOC, Uruguay Community Networks Geoffrey Blackwell, representative from the Indigenous Connectivity Summit, Northwest Territories of Canada Carlos Rey-Moreno, APC, South Africa Civil Society Valeria Betancourt, APC, Ecuador Private Sector Gonzalo Lopez-Barajas Huder, Telefonica, Spain Intergovernamental Organization Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU
Expected Outcomes: As a result of the session it is expected to come out clear recommendations from a dialogue built on challenges, experiences and examples that can help address barriers in policy and regulatory frameworks encountered by various communities. Different communities face different challenges and each country has different access agendas and regulatory and policy solutions, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, the proposed session aims to offer different views and policy perspectives to promote and strengthen the expansion of community networks as a viable complementary alternative to bridge the digital divide.
