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Name :	SHAPIRO, Michaela
Date :	January 13, 2025
Organization :	ARTICLE 19
Country :	United Kingdom
Job Title :	Programme Officer, Censorship
Contribution :	ARTICLE 19 welcomes the efforts of the ITU to engage in a multistakeholder process by holding this open Open Consultation of the Council Working Group on Internet-Related Public Policy Issues (CWG-Internet) on the role of public policy in promoting multilingualization of the Internet. Multilingualization of the internet is a key element of the ITU’s work on meaningful connectivity and in achieving universal acceptance (UA), which both aid in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and specifically SDG 9 “to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.” Additionally, as laid out in resolution 48 on “Internationalized (multilingual) domain names,” the ITU has a responsibility to (1.1) promote the universal acceptance of internationalized domain names (IDNs); (1.2) raise awareness of this work and support in engaging stakeholders; and (1.3) build the capacity of stakeholders. However, we emphasize that this work must be undertaken in close collaboration with standards-developing organizations specializing in the management of domain names - the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) - and in the development of technical protocols to ensure the security and stability of the internet’s architecture - the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), respectively. As outlined in ITU-T resolution 48, intergovernmental organizations have had, and should continue to have, a facilitating role in the coordination of Internet-related public policy issues. We encourage the ITU to work collaboratively with intergovernmental and international organizations in their ongoing efforts to achieve this important goal. Our recommendations for ensuring that the internet becomes more multilingual in nature and thereby more accessible to the global population encompasses the following three categories of actions: (1.1) UA-readiness, (1.2) awareness-raising and (1.3) capacity-building. The benefits of achieving multilingualization of the internet include: serving as a means of achieving broader UN goals, protection of cultural heritage, enabling freedom of expression online, economic and social benefits, and facilitating access to information. However, this does come with its challenges, ranging from technical, institutional and capacity-building challenges.
Attachments :	ARTICLE19_IDNs_CONTRIBUTION_13 JANUARY 2025.pdf