CADE conducted a comprehensive mapping and baseline study on CSO engagement in internet governance processes. Download your copy below in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese and explore how CSOs can influence digital policy, with a focus on emerging technologies.

Download your copy

Main barriers to civil society engagement in internet governance

Resource constraints: Financial constraints and limited staff often prevent CSOs from covering travel, accommodation, and participation fees, restricting their involvement in internet governance amid competing priorities.

The deepening exclusion of the digital divide: Limited internet access, especially in rural areas, hurts CSO and grassroots participation in digital policy-making, sidelining even more the perspectives of groups that have historically been marginalised.

The capacity gap: Technical internet governance processes like the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) involve technical jargon and significant time commitments. Limited capacity development opportunities for civil society reduce meaningful participation and close doors for many.

Language barriers: English dominance in internet governance forums limits participation from non-English speaking CSOs. Insufficient and imperfect translation services worsen this exclusion, making contributions and policy influence very difficult.

Power dynamics: Internet governance policy processes generally favour governments and corporations, overshadowing CSOs, especially from the Global South. This imbalance undermines their voice, ownership, and impact on policy decisions.

Lack of information: Limited information, insufficient networking possibilities and weak outreach efforts result in overwhelming struggles for potential advocates for internet rights and freedoms to build the capacity to achieve significant impact on the digital landscape.

Civic space and the political environment as a barrier: Some 72.4 percent of the global population lives under repressive conditions regarding fundamental freedoms. This has a severe impact on civil society’s possibilities of engagement in multistakeholder forums.

CADE Digital Futures podcast

Listen to the CADE Digital Futures podcast series of ten multilingual episodes on how to make digital governance more inclusive and rights-focused.

Digital Futures: How new technologies are shaping civic freedoms Digital Futures: Civil society growth and inclusion Digital Futures: Shaping policy and defending digital rights across Africa Digital Futures: Advocating for digital rights in West Asia and North Africa Digital Futures: Digital development in Taiwan Avenirs Numériques: La transformation numérique et la société civile au Sénégal Avenirs Numériques: Transformer le travail de la société civile en RDC Avenirs Numériques: La société civile de Madagascar et la gouvernance de l'internet Futuros Digitales: Tecnologías digitales al servicio de los derechos humanos Futuros Digitales: Feminismo y participación comunitaria en los derechos digitales

Closing the gap – Turning words into action

Let’s close the gap between CSO engagement and our potential influence in internet governance by enhancing our role in policymaking, providing actionable recommendations for stakeholders to better integrate CSOs, and adopting innovative approaches and best practices to strengthen our impact on digital governance frameworks.

The road ahead – CSO engagement in internet governance spaces

The CADE study explores the specific mechanisms and modalities through which CSOs engage in these internet governance processes, highlighting not only the challenges, but also the opportunities and successes associated with participation in different forums.