World Summit on the Information Society
In 2015, UNESCO put the concept of “Internet Universality” at the heart of its work to promote an internet that works for all. Internet Universality points to four “fundamental norms that have been embodied in the broad evolution of the Internet to date, and which provide a comprehensive way to understand how multiple different aspects are part of a wider whole.” These norms – known for short as the ROAM principles – are concerned with: Rights (R) Openness (O) Accessibility (A) Mu...
David Souter's blog returns from its winter break with a review of the fifteen years since the World Summit on the Information Society – and how it should be viewed in future. Starting with this instalment, the Information Society will be published twice a month. This post is a revised version of a presentation that he gave to the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development in...
Access to information and knowledge has been recognised as a key principle for achieving the WSIS vision since 2003. Information and knowledge for all are key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals because they link to empowerment and mobility, enabling people to improve their lives. In this statement delivered at the High-Level Policy Session on Inclusiveness – Access to Information...
The African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) was announced this week as the winner of a 2017 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prize, awarded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in a ceremony at the Geneva International Conference Centre during the annual WSIS Forum 2017. AfriSIG is a joint initiative of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) an...
The voting for the WSIS Prize 2017 is open and APC is part of three of the nominated initiatives. The awards evaluate and recognise individuals and groups for outstanding success in implementing strategies that leverage the power of information and communications technology (ICT) as an enabler of development. You have until 30 April to cast your votes. These are the thr...
Each week David Souter comments on an important issue for APC members and others concerned about the Information Society. This week’s blog post reflects on the relationship between multistakeholderim and multilateralism. I’ve written several posts lately about multistakeholder participation in developing policy on ICTs and Internet. A lot of what is said and written about multistakeholder d...
With over 50 member NGOs in more than 35 countries working for the last 25 years in most of the areas related to the WSIS goals, APC’s activities in support of the WSIS action lines and themes are many and diverse. They can be summarised as: a) promoting universal access to ICTs, and b) supporting rights-based, inclusive ICT-related policies, particularly where they affect women, the poor and...
The landscape of internet governance has been rapidly evolving in the decade since the conclusion of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunis in 2005. The Tunis Agenda for the Information Society not only affirmed the commitment of all involved countries to develop a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented information society, but also proposed a multistakeholder a...
David Souter comments each week on an important issue for APC members and others concerned about the Information Society. In his first blog, this week, he writes about the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) – what it achieved and where it should be going. Let’s start with WSIS Let’s start with WSIS. The World Summit on the Information Society, held in Geneva and Tunis in 2003 ...
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process is considered a cornerstone of international norms and discourse on internet policy and governance. As the process marks its 11th anniversary, the ‘ICT for development’ community met in Geneva between 2-6 May to continue to work for a people-centric, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create, a...
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2018
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