Global Network Initiative urges stronger human rights safeguards in WSIS+20 digital governance draft
In its submission to the Zero Draft consultation, GNI welcomed progress on digital inclusion and multistakeholder cooperation but cautioned against weakening key protections during negotiations. The group urged governments to uphold international standards on freedom of expression and privacy, strengthen safeguards in data governance and artificial intelligence, and ensure digital public infrastructure is human rights–compliant by design.
The Global Network Initiative (GNI), a multistakeholder coalition of civil society, companies, and academics working on technology and human rights, has urged negotiators of the WSIS+20 process to reinforce the human rights provisions in the Zero Draft of the upcoming outcome document.
GNI praised the draft for aligning with the UN’s Global Digital Compact and sustainable development goals, but warned that ‘the strong language on human rights must not be diluted.’ The organisation emphasised that any limitation on freedom of expression and privacy should comply with principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality under international human rights law.
The submission highlighted several areas for improvement. It called for human rights–based approaches to digital public infrastructure (DPI) and data governance, including transparency, community participation, and privacy safeguards. It also urged the inclusion of a ‘data justice’ perspective to ensure that marginalised and developing communities have meaningful control over how data affecting them is collected and used.
GNI welcomed the proposal to grant the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) a permanent mandate and suggested recognising it as the main venue for digital policy dialogue. It also recommended that the WSIS framework explicitly reference the NETmundial+10 São Paulo Guidelines as a guiding document for multistakeholder governance and that a sustainable funding model for the IGF be established under UN oversight.
On private sector accountability, GNI encouraged stronger references to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, stressing the need for companies to conduct human rights due diligence and impact assessments throughout their operations, especially in algorithmic and AI systems.
The organisation further called for the inclusion of a clear condemnation of internet shutdowns, explicit safeguards against the misuse of AI technologies, and concrete financial mechanisms to support inclusive digital development.
GNI concluded its submission by urging WSIS+20 co-facilitators to maintain a transparent, participatory, and accountable review process, ensuring that the final outcome in December 2025 delivers ‘an open, inclusive, rights-respecting, and accountable digital future.’
