The Opening Ceremony today at the Internet Governance Forum saw interventions by a number of high-level speakers, including the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed. Speakers expressed high expectations for the multi-stakeholder Forum, stressing its salient role in bringing governments, businesses, cybersecurity experts, civil society, women’s and youth groups together as a “network of networks” to help shape a digital future that is “safe, equitable and open, and does not infringe on privacy or dignity.”
In his opening remarks at the ceremony, Vinton Cerf, the newly appointed Chair of the Forum’s Leadership Panel, stated, “The world is looking to the IGF, its Leadership Panel, the MAG and the IGF participants to throw light in dark corners and highlight paths to successful use of the Internet for all the world’s Internauts and the countries in which they live”.
Read the opening press release: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2022/11/press-release-with-2-7-billion-people-still-left-offline-un-forum-to-find-solutions-for-creating-a-human-centred-and-resilient-digital-future/
High-Level Leaders Session on Digital Trust and Security
With the safety and security of the Internet under threat, participants at the High-Level Leaders Session on Digital Trust and Security called for accelerated efforts to achieve a safer, more secure digital world.
Safety and security of the Internet extends beyond cyberattacks. The spread of misinformation and disinformation as well as increased online violence and hate speech has put the benefits of the Internet in jeopardy. Reducing carbon emissions in digital activities and consumption to ensure environmental sustainability is also a critical element.
As of September 2022, there were about 97 significant cyberattacks against worldwide government agencies, defense, companies, or economic crimes resulting in losses of more than a million dollars. Digital technologies also contribute between 1.4% to 5.9% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Participants highlighted the need to step up efforts to advance green standards and manage the sustainable disposal of e-waste. They also stressed the importance of the multi-stakeholder community in implementing norms to build digital trust and security.
Session on Online Gendered Disinformation from a Global South Perspective
While women’s political participation has increased — for example, women today occupy 26.1% of parliamentary seats globally, compared to 13.1% in 2000 — women are still underrepresented at all levels of decision-making worldwide. This gender inequality is exacerbated by the online gender-based violence that women face in the public sphere. For the Global South, this translates into a staggering spike in gendered disinformation during election time.
Participants in the session stressed the importance of regulatory frameworks to protect women online, as well as the need for online platforms to be more proactive in tackling online discrimination. The annual UN Commission on the Status of Women was also recognized as a key platform for addressing online gendered disinformation.
Opening Press Conference Antonio Pedro, Acting Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs together with Belete Molla, the Minister of Innovation and Technology of Ethiopia briefed the journalists today on the priority issues at this year’s Internet Governance Forum. Questions focused on internet fragmentation as well as the UN's ongoing efforts to advance meaningful connectivity in Africa.
IGF 2022 Open Forum: Connecting the digital dots – How the UN System is supporting digital transformation and looking toward the Global Digital Compact
Heads and representatives of UN specialized agencies, Funds and Programmes, Regional Commissions, and Secretariat Departments and entities, came together at the IGF 2022 Open Forum to present their ongoing work in the advancement of digital technologies for sustainable development. Whether it be capacity building, data gathering and analytical work, developing digital tools, or the norm-setting resolutions through the UN General Assembly and the UNECOSOC, the UN system has always worked to support Member States in their sustainable digital transformation initiatives.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals guide the work of the UN System. SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure cross-cuts SDG 1 on poverty, SDG 4 on education, SDG 5 on gender, SDG 10 on inequality and SDG 13 on climate. Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua urged his UN peers to speak with “One UN Voice”, and work with synergy and coherence to deliver a Global Digital Compact which will be agreed upon at the Summit of the Future in 2024.
To watch the UN Secretary-General's video message on the 17th Internet Governance Forum, go to https://media.un.org/en/asset/k12/k12231a38k
