The Policy Network on Meaningful Access (PNMA) is a type of intersessional activity under IGF created to establish an expert-led framework network on broad Internet governance topics that create spaces for in-depth multistakeholder efforts. It aims to identify best practices and successful solutions applied somewhere in order to formulate impact-driven, concrete, and actionable policy recommendations on how to achieve meaningful and universal Internet access aligned with the Secretary-General's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and the Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2022, the PNMA’s analytical focus was on the community’s agreed three overarching thematic workstreams: Connectivity (Infrastructure & Business Models), Digital Inclusion through citizen approach (accessibility & multilingualism: local services and contents in local languages based on local needs and resources) and Capacity Development (technical skills training). During the last year’s intersessional activities, the policy network has actively contributed within and outside IGF communities to identify a certain number of good practices and policy solutions, and retain them as possible models to be exported or applied to other regions of the world. Stakeholders from different groups joined this enterprise: government, international organisations, academia, private actors, non-profits. The PNMA 2022 Output Report features a collation of selected cases for each of the focus areas. Additionally, one section of the document is devoted to recommendations around meaningful access and its expansion.
The PNMA decided to pursue the development of this experience for 2023, assisting with the implementation of solutions for the issues previously raised. Its community wishes to open a multistakeholder public debate under these actions to influence policy change and the upcoming Global Digital Compact, in addition to the WSIS+20 and IGF+20 processes.
Below are the key areas being developed by the Policy Network in Meaningful Access (PNMA) in its 2023 report. Comments can be added below each section by clicking on ''View and Add Comments for Paragraph''.
Deadline to post comments is 22 September 2023.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Exploring Connectivity
For each focus area, the policy network is collating data on good practices, collaborations and partnerships.
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
(name of the project)
- Location: (country, city/region if available)
- Funding: (funder, figure, for how long, n/a)
- Responsible institutions / partners / people:
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve? (set up the context; describe the problem)
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting?
- Is there a gender focus?
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing?
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?
- Results:
- Impact:
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges)
Exploring Digital Inclusion
For each focus area, the policy network is collating data on good practices, collaborations and partnerships.
Thinking of Digital Inclusion,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful access, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
(name of the project)
- Location: (country, city/region if available)
- Funding: (funder, figure, for how long, n/a)
- Responsible institutions / partners / people:
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve? (set up the context; describe the problem)
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting?
- Is there a gender focus?
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing?
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?
- Results:
- Impact:
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges)
Exploring Capacity Development
For each focus area, the policy network is collating data on good practices, collaborations and partnerships.
Thinking of Capacity Development,
1. Are you aware of any efforts by a network, collective, organisation etc that should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
(name of the project)
- Location: (country, city/region if available)
- Funding: (funder, figure, for how long, n/a)
- Responsible institutions / partners / people:
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve? (set up the context; describe the problem)
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting?
- Is there a gender focus?
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing?
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?
- Results:
- Impact:
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges)
Collaborating with the IGF Leadership Panel
A close interaction with the Leadership Panel enables a better understanding and advocacy of the PNMA mandate, and of the IGF structure as a whole.
1. In your expertise/working area, what are the key topics the PNMA should look for support of the Leadership Panel?
2. How do you foresee the institutional and pragmatic collaboration between these two entities?
Contributing to the Global Digital Compact/Summit for the Future
The PNMA community wishes to open a multistakeholder public debate under these actions to influence policy change and the upcoming Global Digital Compact, in addition to the WSIS+20 and IGF+20 processes.
1. In your expertise/working area, what are the key topics the PNMA cannot miss in the discussion with the GDC?
2. How do you foresee the institutional and pragmatic collaboration between these two entities?
Intersessional work with Youth IGF, DCs, and/or NRIs
The PNMA understands that encouraging internal cooperation is one way further to the success of our common pleas. Hence, the network would like to know from the Youth IGF, DCs, and NRIs how the relationship can be improved:
1. For your intersessional group, what are the key topics the PNMA and your intersessional group could work together?
2. How do you see this partnership moving forward?
3. Please share any feedback you might have on the PNMA activities
Collaboration streams beyond the UN
In 2022, the PNMA improved its relationships with the ITU, ICANN, WIPO, and WAN-INFRA, including the promotion of their good practices around meaningful access. Would you suggest any additional collaboration opportunity? Let us know!
Issues for IGF consideration and action
The discussions at the annual meetings and during the development of the PNMA work plans have identified some ideas about the possible role of the IGF in promoting the solutions and policy change demanded by the community. Similarly to the 2022 process, the 2023 Output Report would like to open a public debate around said issues, and collate them for monitoring. Let us know if you would like to report anything, being it a structural, long-standing problem or a new issue recently identified.
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Daphnee Iglesias on 12/09/2023 - 17:43
Exploring Connectivity
For each focus area, the policy network is collating data on good practices, collaborations and partnerships.
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
(name of the project)
- Location: (country, city/region if available)
- Funding: (funder, figure, for how long, n/a)
- Responsible institutions / partners / people:
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve? (set up the context; describe the problem)
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting?
- Is there a gender focus?
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing?
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?
- Results:
- Impact:
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges)
Dudley Stephen Wyber on 25/09/2023 - 12:10
Reply to Daphnee Iglesias
Added suggestion on connectivity (sorry to be late!)
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
Yes – the Gigabit Libraries Network has looked to engage with Starlink in order to explore the potential of using Low-Earth Orbit satellite links to bring connections to public libraries in the US and Africa.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
- Location: Montana, New Mexico US, and Nigeria
- Funding: within the US, the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Within Nigeria, provision for free by Starlink for 2 years
- Responsible institutions / partners / people: Gigabit Libraries Network, State Libraries of Montana and New Mexico, African Library and Information Associations and Institutions
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve?: while libraries have a proven potential to support wider meaningful access goals through combining connectivity with an offer of devices, content and skills support, this is all dependent on having adequate connectivity themselves in the first place. This is not always the case, with libraries in remote and rural areas often not sufficiently connected to be able to meet what are often significant needs. Using alternative connectivity technologies offers an exciting option to overcome the challenge of distance.
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting? Rural, and in the case of New Mexico, on First Nations land.
- Is there a gender focus? Not explicitly, but it is generally seen that women tend to make more use of libraries than men
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing? Primarily, the offer is about unlocking the pre-existing potential of libraries to support meaningful access to and engagement with knowledge. Through this, there is the possibility in particular for children to do homework, and for adults to access benefits and other support.
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?: the primary work, led by the Gigabit Libraries Network was to engage Starlink in order to open up the possibilities for libraries to access enterprise licences and through this provide access to users. Following this, the need was to ensure that the libraries could access and set up the relevant equipment, and then integrate this into the existing offer.
- Results: so far, four libraries have been connected in the United States, and plans are to connect five at least in Nigeria.
- Impact: the programme is still underway, but it appears that there has already been a significant uptick in use of libraries, and positive anecdotal evidence from users of much strengthened ability to participate in learning.
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges): the model appears to work, at least at the scale of smaller rural and local libraries (where the need is greatest anyway). As it expands, it will be welcome to see how well this type of access scales, as well as to monitor to what extent it also motivates people to purchase home connectivity as well.
Daphnee Iglesias on 12/09/2023 - 17:44
Exploring Connectivity
For each focus area, the policy network is collating data on good practices, collaborations and partnerships.
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
(name of the project)
- Location: (country, city/region if available)
- Funding: (funder, figure, for how long, n/a)
- Responsible institutions / partners / people:
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve? (set up the context; describe the problem)
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting?
- Is there a gender focus?
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing?
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?
- Results:
- Impact:
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges)
Daphnee Iglesias on 12/09/2023 - 19:36
Testing comments below…
Testing comments below
Please ignore this thread
Dudley Stephen Wyber on 25/09/2023 - 12:09
Connectivity response
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
Yes – the Gigabit Libraries Network has looked to engage with Starlink in order to explore the potential of using Low-Earth Orbit satellite links to bring connections to public libraries in the US and Africa.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
- Location: Montana, New Mexico US, and Nigeria
- Funding: within the US, the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Within Nigeria, provision for free by Starlink for 2 years
- Responsible institutions / partners / people: Gigabit Libraries Network, State Libraries of Montana and New Mexico, African Library and Information Associations and Institutions
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve?: while libraries have a proven potential to support wider meaningful access goals through combining connectivity with an offer of devices, content and skills support, this is all dependent on having adequate connectivity themselves in the first place. This is not always the case, with libraries in remote and rural areas often not sufficiently connected to be able to meet what are often significant needs. Using alternative connectivity technologies offers an exciting option to overcome the challenge of distance.
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting? Rural, and in the case of New Mexico, on First Nations land.
- Is there a gender focus? Not explicitly, but it is generally seen that women tend to make more use of libraries than men
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing? Primarily, the offer is about unlocking the pre-existing potential of libraries to support meaningful access to and engagement with knowledge. Through this, there is the possibility in particular for children to do homework, and for adults to access benefits and other support.
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?: the primary work, led by the Gigabit Libraries Network was to engage Starlink in order to open up the possibilities for libraries to access enterprise licences and through this provide access to users. Following this, the need was to ensure that the libraries could access and set up the relevant equipment, and then integrate this into the existing offer.
- Results: so far, four libraries have been connected in the United States, and plans are to connect five at least in Nigeria.
- Impact: the programme is still underway, but it appears that there has already been a significant uptick in use of libraries, and positive anecdotal evidence from users of much strengthened ability to participate in learning.
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges): the model appears to work, at least at the scale of smaller rural and local libraries (where the need is greatest anyway). As it expands, it will be welcome to see how well this type of access scales, as well as to monitor to what extent it also motivates people to purchase home connectivity as well.
Dudley Stephen Wyber on 25/09/2023 - 12:09
Connectivity response (apologies for delay)
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
Yes – the Gigabit Libraries Network has looked to engage with Starlink in order to explore the potential of using Low-Earth Orbit satellite links to bring connections to public libraries in the US and Africa.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
- Location: Montana, New Mexico US, and Nigeria
- Funding: within the US, the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Within Nigeria, provision for free by Starlink for 2 years
- Responsible institutions / partners / people: Gigabit Libraries Network, State Libraries of Montana and New Mexico, African Library and Information Associations and Institutions
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve?: while libraries have a proven potential to support wider meaningful access goals through combining connectivity with an offer of devices, content and skills support, this is all dependent on having adequate connectivity themselves in the first place. This is not always the case, with libraries in remote and rural areas often not sufficiently connected to be able to meet what are often significant needs. Using alternative connectivity technologies offers an exciting option to overcome the challenge of distance.
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting? Rural, and in the case of New Mexico, on First Nations land.
- Is there a gender focus? Not explicitly, but it is generally seen that women tend to make more use of libraries than men
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing? Primarily, the offer is about unlocking the pre-existing potential of libraries to support meaningful access to and engagement with knowledge. Through this, there is the possibility in particular for children to do homework, and for adults to access benefits and other support.
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?: the primary work, led by the Gigabit Libraries Network was to engage Starlink in order to open up the possibilities for libraries to access enterprise licences and through this provide access to users. Following this, the need was to ensure that the libraries could access and set up the relevant equipment, and then integrate this into the existing offer.
- Results: so far, four libraries have been connected in the United States, and plans are to connect five at least in Nigeria.
- Impact: the programme is still underway, but it appears that there has already been a significant uptick in use of libraries, and positive anecdotal evidence from users of much strengthened ability to participate in learning.
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges): the model appears to work, at least at the scale of smaller rural and local libraries (where the need is greatest anyway). As it expands, it will be welcome to see how well this type of access scales, as well as to monitor to what extent it also motivates people to purchase home connectivity as well.
Dudley Stephen Wyber on 25/09/2023 - 12:09
Connectivity response (apologies for delay)
Thinking of Connectivity,
1. Are you aware of any network, collective, organisation etc, working to promote meaningful connectivity, that its efforts should be highlighted in the report? We would like to engage with big and small, local, regional or national initiatives.
Yes – the Gigabit Libraries Network has looked to engage with Starlink in order to explore the potential of using Low-Earth Orbit satellite links to bring connections to public libraries in the US and Africa.
2. Have you come across any activity/project during the last year that could be highlighted as a good practice? We would be happy to know the following:
- Location: Montana, New Mexico US, and Nigeria
- Funding: within the US, the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Within Nigeria, provision for free by Starlink for 2 years
- Responsible institutions / partners / people: Gigabit Libraries Network, State Libraries of Montana and New Mexico, African Library and Information Associations and Institutions
- What is the problem(s) it is trying to solve?: while libraries have a proven potential to support wider meaningful access goals through combining connectivity with an offer of devices, content and skills support, this is all dependent on having adequate connectivity themselves in the first place. This is not always the case, with libraries in remote and rural areas often not sufficiently connected to be able to meet what are often significant needs. Using alternative connectivity technologies offers an exciting option to overcome the challenge of distance.
- Is it a Rural / Urban setting? Rural, and in the case of New Mexico, on First Nations land.
- Is there a gender focus? Not explicitly, but it is generally seen that women tend to make more use of libraries than men
- What were the services provided, subsidies used, anything else worth sharing? Primarily, the offer is about unlocking the pre-existing potential of libraries to support meaningful access to and engagement with knowledge. Through this, there is the possibility in particular for children to do homework, and for adults to access benefits and other support.
- Which were the actions taken to address the problem(s)?: the primary work, led by the Gigabit Libraries Network was to engage Starlink in order to open up the possibilities for libraries to access enterprise licences and through this provide access to users. Following this, the need was to ensure that the libraries could access and set up the relevant equipment, and then integrate this into the existing offer.
- Results: so far, four libraries have been connected in the United States, and plans are to connect five at least in Nigeria.
- Impact: the programme is still underway, but it appears that there has already been a significant uptick in use of libraries, and positive anecdotal evidence from users of much strengthened ability to participate in learning.
- Lessons learned: (what worked / remaining challenges): the model appears to work, at least at the scale of smaller rural and local libraries (where the need is greatest anyway). As it expands, it will be welcome to see how well this type of access scales, as well as to monitor to what extent it also motivates people to purchase home connectivity as well.