From 4 – 8 May 2015 the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) is meeting in Geneva to comment on the assessment of the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of WSIS. As this is the last meeting of CSTD before the overall WSIS review in December 2015, IFLA together with the Association for Progressive Communications and the Internet Democracy Project issued a statement highlighting our commitment to a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society.

Photo by Violaine Martin (UN Geneva)

The statement draws the Commission’s attention to the main aspects of the WSIS goal to create a "people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in  promoting their  sustainable development and improving their quality of  life.”

We call on the Commission to:

  • Harness the potential of ICTs for development
  • Recognise the value of affordable and public internet access
  • Emphasise the role of good governance on national, regional and global levels
  • Further strengthen the emphasis on gender equality in an online world
  • Recognise the importance of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
  • Recommend that the President of the General Assembly and the eventual co-facilitators of the WSIS review, ensure an open, inclusive and transparent process with meaningful input from all stakeholders

For further details and information, we recommend you to read the full statement.