Photo: Theresa Tafida
Being part of IGF 2014 has been a unique opportunity for my personal and professional development. Its impact on me has triggered a host of ideas which I am studying critically.
The theme of this year’s IGF – "Connecting Continents for Enhanced Multistakeholder Internet Governance" – seemed to have achieved its objective: there were 135 countries from different continents and 3,000 people in attendance. The IGF is indeed unique and unusual, because while it enables an exchange of ideas and best practices, it does so in a non-coercive way. It also provided me the opportunity to improve my knowledge of APC’s various areas of engagement on internet issues. This IGF has exposed me to new knowledge areas such as internet rights, online child protection, digital trust, net neutrality and human rights issues.
One of the key things I learned about the IGF is that it is a decision-shaping body and not a decision-making body. This slight but distinct characteristic is what makes the IGF so unique. In addition, its multi-stakeholder model continues to be a challenge for the top-down model of most governments. My own experiences at the various sessions have taught me that there is no substitute for team work for maximum impact.
Critical issues for those of us working in developing countries and rural communities are:
- Access – The use of internet for growth and development cannot be realised where there is no or limited access. For my organisation and for our rural host communities, this issue is most relevant as we struggle to acquire broadband. It costs up to USD 29 for 1.5 GB per month in communities where the average monthly income for top earners is about USD 15.
- Internet literacy – While oral culture is highly developed in my host communities, literacy is quite low. With English as the dominant internet language, my host communities are effectively locked out of the digital age. This has consequences in terms of their knowledge of internet rights, digital trust and online protection.
In addition, the issue of online protection for children is of utmost interest for my organisation, where I lead the Children’s Services project.
The IGF provided opportunities for collaboration and capacity building for me and my organisation with both APC and non-APC entities who were at the forum. I have already initiated partnership and collaboration processes with some of them, including the Internet Society, the Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability, Best Bits, eNGO, the IGF Support Association, and a global network of young citizen journalists on gender and ICTs that is currently being created with the active participation of APC members in Pakistan. The IGF also provided me with the opportunity to engage with a Turkish organisation that works with older adults, which is trying to rally support for a global summit on ageing to be hosted by the Turkish government.
In the very near future, Fantsuam is expecting to start working with eNGO (led by APC Board member Shahzad Ahmad of Bytes for All, Pakistan) to support rural community-based organisations in Nigeria for website development and internet capacity building. The Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability has approved Fantsuam Foundation’s membership. My contact with the Turkish organisation on ageing was also presented to the APC Board as an area of engagement with civil society entities in Turkey. APCNews will be updated as this collaborative effort develops.
Fantsuam has also identified areas for capacity building for its IT instructors and students and decided on a possible review of the present curriculum used in its computer school to be able to introduce students to internet governance and human rights issues.