Agenda

Over the past two decades, the governance of digital technologies has evolved significantly. The increasing ubiquity of these technologies has embedded them in broader policy discussions, from economic development to security. Internet governance has also become more politically charged, as societies grapple with addressing digital harms and inequalities. This evolving landscape makes it crucial to examine how governance structures can be effectively implemented, particularly in ensuring that multilateralism and multistakeholderism work in tandem rather than in isolation.

While frameworks such as the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) have established a foundation for a multistakeholder approach, the focus must now shift from principles to practical implementation. The NETMundial+10 Multistakeholder Statement offers clear guidelines on operationalizing this approach, but real-world application varies depending on context. During the WSIS+20 review, there is both an opportunity and a risk: while stakeholders can reinforce and enhance multistakeholder governance, there is also the possibility that existing structures may be weakened, undermining progress toward an inclusive, people-centric information society.

This session will explore how multistakeholderism is being operationalized in practice. It will focus on concrete experiences of how stakeholders have engaged in governance processes, highlighting what has worked, what challenges remain, and how different sectors can collaborate effectively. Speakers will address the following key policy questions:

• How has the multistakeholder approach evolved in practice since WSIS first began, and what are the critical lessons learned from past implementations?
• How have governments engaged stakeholders in WSIS+20 preparations and what more can done?
• What are effective strategies for embedding multistakeholder principles—openness, inclusivity, transparency, and accountability—into digital governance frameworks more broadly?