Emergency situations can be described as any situation in which the life, rights or well-being of people can be put under threat unless immediate and appropriate action is taken. Usually, these types of situations require application of exceptional measures, quick and collectively coordinated action response, as single or unilateral actions often show to be insufficient given the negative impact these have on people.
The world has seen a variety of these, from natural disasters relating to destructive earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, to the biological ones such as epidemics and made-man emergencies such as terrorist attacks, wars, degradation of environment and others forms of accidents.
The necessary almost instantaneous response is always with people. And not rarely is that the responses are insufficient or not executed timely. Technology showed to be a reliable partner to people in preventing emergencies or combating them much more effectively.
The 131 NRIs as people-led multistakeholder discussion processes have been at the forefront of action dialogues when emergencies threatened their communities. From the Afghanistan IGF whose community faced series of terrorist attacks, to Haiti IGF discussions during devasting effects of hurricanes. The most recent and still ongoing emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic, has affected the world and with that all 131 NRIs whose respective communities are continuously discussing ways how digital technologies and digital policy can help overcome the devastating effects the pandemic had in some parts of the world and prevent future scenarios.
The local actions, through the NRIs, grew to the extent that leadership from various sectors in countries and regions started new initiatives to help people to fight the pandemic, going up to the extent where laws and policies are changed.
This session will focus on concrete effects the emergency situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, had on people and role of digital technologies and policy. It will look into good practices that emerged for people to benefit more from digital technologies.
Programme
The session will cover several policy areas, with key discussants coming from different NRIs, ensuring regional diversity.
The key discussants will speak for up to 3 minutes and each section will be followed by the interactive exchange discussions, between 5 and 10 min long, with participants communicating inputs over chat and oral exchanges during dedicated time announced by the moderators.
Moderators: Prof. Flavio Wagner (Brazil) and Ms. Mary Uduma (Nigeria)
| 16:50-16:55 UTC |
Moderators introduce the topic, organizers and speakers |
| 16:55-17:15 UTC |
Session block I
Internet for worlds resilience
Emergency situations, such as the COVID-19, showed that the Internet plays a central role amidst tough restrictions (e.g. remote work and study, personal communications, service delivery etc). In situations like these, did the Internet make your communities more resilient and how?
- France IGF, Mr. Lucien Castex
- Colombia IGF, Ms. Isabel Cristina De Avila Benitez
- Arab IGF: Mr. Qusai Al-Shatti
The COVID-19, for example, is an emergency that has also exacerbated a number of digital policy issues. Which concretely in your communities?
- Brazil IGF, Ms. Tanara Lauschner
- Panama IGF, Ms. Jennifer Lopez
Open discussion.
Sign-ups for interventions: Mr. Timofey V, Chief expert for risk management and emergency communications, G2P Think Tank ''Dialog''
|
| 17:15-17:35 UTC |
Session block II
Technologies helping people
Looking at examples of good practices for combating emergency situations using data-based technologies and emerging technologies.
- Italy IGF, Ms. Emanuela Girardi
- Dominican Republic IGF, Mr. Osvaldo Larancuent
- Asia Pacific iGF: Ms. Jennifer Chung
Examples of good practices for combating emergency situations using data-based technologies and emerging technologies: focus on vulnerable groups.
- IGF-USA, Mr. Dustin Loup
- Argentina IGF, Ms. Olga Cavalli
Open discussion.
Sign-ups for interventions: Mr. Eun Chang Choi, S. Korea IGF
|
| 17:35-17:55 UTC |
Session block III
No one left behind
How to secure the deployment of online tools and services for combating emergency situations?
- West African IGF, Mr. Poncelet Ileleji
- Bolivia IGF, Mr. Roberto Zambrana
- Spain IGF, Mr. Felix Hernandez-Gil
How to tailor our policies and actions to support the most vulnerable ones?
- Lebanon IGF, Ms. Zeina Bou Harb
Open discussion.
Sign-ups for interventions: Mr. Mahendranath Busgopaul, Mauritius IGF
|
| 17:55-18:15 UTC |
Session block IV
Economies going digital
One of the main issues caused by this pandemic is the negative economic effects for families and individuals in our communities, considering long lockdowns, that make it impossible to continue working or doing regular activities, particularly for those self-employed.
What are good policy practices from stakeholders around the world, taking advantage of Internet services, to support economies?
- UK-IGF, Mr. Nick Wenban-Smith
- African IGF, Mr. Makane Faye
- Ecuador IGF, Mr. Carlos Vera
- EuroDIG, Ms. Meri Baghdasaryan and Mr. Marcel Krummenauer
Open discussion.
Sign-ups for interventions: Mr. Riccardo Nanni, YOUthDIG
|
| 18:15-18:20 UTC |
Conclusion |
