WSIS+20 Five-Point Plan Follow-up: Eight Practical Recommendations

https://www.gp-digital.org/wsis20-five-point-plan-follow-up-eight-practi...

As engaged stakeholders in the WSIS+20 review process, we, the undersigned, submit these further recommendations:

1. Appoint a non-governmental stakeholder liaison within UN DESA to support the co-facilitators and the President of the General Assembly to facilitate stakeholder engagement.

2. Ensure the dedicated online platform centralising all relevant information is set up immediately and maintained regularly throughout the process.

3. Use the dedicated online platform to streamline resources and opportunities to broaden and diversify participation, including information about capacity building resources; national or regional consultations; visa assistance and supporting documentation; financial support for travel and broadband access to participate virtually.

4. Collect input on each iteration of the draft Outcome Document, including via:

a. Written submissions (with at least 7 working day notice and submission period), using multilingual submission templates with reasonable word limits;
b. Consultations, as outlined in points 5(a)–(e).

5. Design consultations to enable full and equal participation of stakeholders through:

a. Providing timely notice and sharing background documents and guiding questions at least 7 working days in advance;
b. Selecting accessible locations, supporting hybrid participation and offering synchronised meetings at multiple locations;
c. Accommodating diverse time zones, non-standard working days, and offering low-bandwidth participation options;
d. Applying equitable speaking arrangements, such as alternating or rotating speaking slots and ensuring balanced time allocation;
e. Structuring interactive dialogue formats that allow non-governmental and governmental stakeholders to respond to each other in real time.

6. Publish synthesis reports of inputs on each iteration of the draft Outcome Document, summarising written and verbal input, explaining how contributions were addressed and clearly indicating areas of consensus, disagreement, or ongoing discussion.*

7. Ensure opportunities for meaningful non-governmental stakeholder participation in the intergovernmental negotiations by:

a. Enabling stakeholders to, at a minimum, observe all meetings –preparatory or otherwise– in-person and via live-stream on UN Web TV.
b. Providing opportunities for stakeholder interventions through dedicated speaking slots.**

8. Ensure non-governmental stakeholders have a meaningful role in the High Level Meeting by:

a. Publishing accreditation procedures at least three months in advance;
b. Broadening eligibility criteria beyond WSIS+10 to include participants of national, regional, and global IGFs.
c. Allocating speaking opportunities, side events, and space for engagement with delegates.

* See, e.g., the consultation process for the UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms.

** See, e.g., the rules of procedure of the Human Rights Council, the ITU and the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime.

List of endorsing organisations:

1. Access Now
2. ARTICLE 19
3. Asociación de Tecnología, Educación, Desarrollo, Investigación, Comunicación (TEDIC)
4. Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
5. Association of Freelance Journalists (AFJ)
6. au Domain Administration Ltd (auDA)
7. Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
8. BlueLink.net
9. Body & Data
10. CENTR – Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries
11. Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)
12. Colnodo
13. Community NetHUBs Africa
14. Cooperativa Sulá Batsú (CR)
15. Council for Social and Digital Development (CSDD)
16. CyberPeace Institute
17. Data Privacy Brasil
18. DENIC eG
19. Deparment of Computer Technology, De La Salle University
20. Derechos Digitales
21. Digital Empowerment Foundation
22. DotAsia Organisation
23. DNS Africa Media and Communications
24. DNS World Media and Communications
25. Encryption Advocates Council
26. European Center for Not-For-Profit Law (ECNL)
27. Eurovisioni
28. Eurovisioni A.C. , Europe
29. Fantsuam Foundation
30. Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA)
31. Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
32. Global Network Initiative (GNI)
33. Global Partners Digital (GPD)
34. Globe TechnoPolitics Forum (GTPF)
35. GreenNet
36. Instituto Panamericano de Derecho y Tecnología – IPANDETEC
37. International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)
38. Internet Australia
39. Internet Service Providers and Connectivity Providers Constituency of ICANN (ISPCP)
40. Internet Society (ISOC)
41. Internet Society Colombia Chapter
42. Internet Society Comoros Chapter
43. Internet Society Dominican Republic Chapter
44. Internet Society Ecuador Chapter
45. Internet Society Libya Chapter
46. Internet Society Mexico Chapter
47. Internet Society Nigeria Chapter (ISOC-NG)
48. Internet Society Philippines Chapter
49. Internet Society Taipei (Taiwan)
50. Internet Society Uruguay Chapter
51. Insituto NUPEF
52. Jokkolabs Banjul
53. LaLibre.net Tecnologías Comunitarias
54. Pacific Migration Partners
55. Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
56. Pollicy
57. Public Interest Registry (PIR)
58. Redes por la Diversidad, Equidad y Sustentabilidad A.C. (REDES A.C.)
59. Rhizomatica
60. Stakeholders Engagement Digital Webinar Series for Africa (SENDiWSA)
61. Success Bridge Community Development Foundation
62. Sursiendo, Comunicación y Cultura Digital
63. Tech for Good Asia
64. Tech Global Institute (TGI)
65. Telecommunities Canada (tc.ca)
66. The Meta-Layer Initiative (themetalayer.org)
67. Virtual School of Internet Governance (VSIG)
68. Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)
69. Women At The Table
70. World Association for Christian Communication (WACC)

List of endorsing individuals:

1. Amged B Shwehdy
2. Bruna Martins dos Santos, Former IGF MAG Member and Policy and Advocacy Manager at WITNESS
3. Carlos Vera Quintana
4. Charles Mok, Research Scholar, Stanford University
5. Cheryl Langdon-Orr
6. Concettina Cassa, IGF MAG member
7. Daveed Benjamin, Founder Director, The Meta-Layer Initiative
8. Dr. Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo
9. Dr. Hosein F. Badran, Principal Advisor, Badran Digital Consulting, Canada
10. Dr. Konstantinos Komaitis, Resident Senior Fellow, Global Internet Governance Lead, Democracy and Tech Initiative, Atlantic Council
11. Dr. Pari Esfandiari, President, Global TechnoPolitics Forum
12. Dr. William J. Drake, Director of International Studies, Columbia Institute for Tele-Information, Columbia Business School
13. Engr. Kunle Olorundare, President/CEO, Jacobian-Sam Care Foundation
14. Flávio Rech Wagner, IGF MAG member
15. Giacomo Mazzone
16. Hector Suero
17. Joseph Fonorito
18. Karim ATTOUMANI MOHAMED, ISOC Comoros
19. Manal Ismail
20. Marnel Peradilla
21. Nduwayo Eraste
22. Nicolas Fiumarelli
23. Osama Manzar, Founder Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation
24. Pefi Kingi
25. Peixi Xu, Professor, Communication University of China
26. Professor Dawn Carla Nunziato, The George Washington University Law School; Co-Director, Global Internet Freedom ProjectBarry Leiba
27. Umut Pajaro Velasquez
28. Winthrop Yu – Chair Emeritus, Internet Society Philippines Chapter
29. Winnie Kamau, Vice Chair Africa IGF MAG
30. Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Professor Emeritus, University AarhusAlfredo Calderón Serrano

What is the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)?

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a two-phase United Nations (UN) summit, first introduced by Tunisia to the ITU Plenipotentiary in 1998. The UN General Assembly Resolution 56/183 (21 December 2001) endorsed the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in two phases. The first phase took place in Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003 and the second phase took place in Tunis, from 16 to 18 November 2005.

Geneva Phase: 10-12 December 2003

The objective of the first phase was to develop and foster a clear statement of political will and take concrete steps to establish the foundations for an Information Society for all, reflecting all the different interests at stake.

Tunis Phase: 16-18 November 2005

The objective of the second phase was to put Geneva's Plan of Action into motion as well as to find solutions and reach agreements in the fields of Internet governance, financing mechanisms, and follow-up and implementation of the Geneva and Tunis documents.

The summit aims to create an evolving multi-stakeholder platform to address issues raised by information and communication technologies (ICTs) at the national, regional, and international levels. The goal is to build a people-centric, inclusive, and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create, access, utilize, and share information. The WSIS process has proven to be a well-established and functioning inclusive multistakeholder framework of implementation.

The WSIS Forum is an annual multistakeholder event within the WSIS process. It brings together various stakeholders, including governments, civil societies, private sectors, academia, international organizations, and technical communities, to network, partner, and share insights on achieving Sustainable Development Goals through the framework of WSIS Action Lines. The forum is hosted annually by the ITU and co-organized by several UN organizations. The WSIS Forum’s process aligns with that of the SDGs. The forum’s program is collaboratively curated through crowdsourcing, promoting extensive ownership and facilitating continual improvements. The WSIS Forum in 2025, branded as WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025, will take place on 7-11 July 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, and serve as a platform to provide multistakeholder discussions and to take stock of the achievements and key trends, challenges and opportunities since the Geneva Plan of Action in 2003.