UNESCO’s project to define Internet Universality indicators aims to build a framework of indicators to assess levels of achievement of the Internet in individual countries. Do you work for a government, for an intergovernmental organization or for an NGO, the private sector or the technical community? Are you are an academic, a journalist or a person who wants to participate in your individual capacity? All of you, we want your input!
You can all help shape UNESCO’s Internet Universality Indicators by participating in this online consultation.
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 an Internet based on human Rights, that is Open, Accessible to all, and nurtured by Multistakeholder participation.
UNESCO is now launching an inclusive global multistakeholder consultation to develop a set of Internet Universality indicators, covering these four fundamental norms and the cross-currents between them.
The outcome will be a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators to help governments and all other stakeholders to assess their own national Internet environments, and to promote the values associated with Internet Universality. Special attention will be paid to gender and to the needs and interests of children and young people.
Consultation with stakeholders is vital for tapping the world’s wisdom in order to develop the best indicator framework possible. This first stage of online consultation, from June to October 2017, will be concerned with broad principles and ideas for the framework as a whole. Face-to-face consultations are also being organized by UNESCO in various regions. In November/December, we will launch a second round of consultations on the specific draft indicators.
Please participate in the first stage of the online consultation by completing the questionnaire available at http://en.unesco.org/internetuniversality. The closing date for submissions is 31 October 2017, but the earlier we have your views the better!
The questionnaire takes about 20 minutes. Contributions can be made in any of the six UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).
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Work on the project is supported by SIDA and ISOC and is being led for UNESCO by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) on behalf of the Internet Indicators Consortium, which includes, in addition to APC, ict Development Associates, Research ICT Africa, LIRNEasia and DIRSI.