WS #98 Universal Principles, Local Realities: Multistakeholder Pathways for DPI

We are witnessing a global movement toward the adoption of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), with countries all over the world deploying systems such as digital identity, payments, and data exchanges. While DPI has emerged as a driver of inclusive digital transformation and innovation, its design and implementation must respect and promote human rights to avoid risks such as exclusion, surveillance, and discrimination.

This workshop aims to examine how DPI systems are being shaped by diverse political, societal, and economic factors across regions. The session will explore the intersection between global DPI frameworks (like the UN Global Digital Compact and the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework) and country-level realities that influence DPI outcomes, and examine the importance of ensuring rights-respecting approaches to the design, development, and deployment of DPI systems. Building on regional outreach by the FOC, this session will draw insights from stakeholder experiences in India, Estonia, Brazil, South Africa, and the Dominican Republic, with speakers highlighting how DPI design choices reflect local political economies, the roles of state and market actors, and the implications for digital inclusion, civic participation, and human rights. The FOC will also highlight its efforts to develop “Rights-Respecting Principles for Digital Public Infrastructure”, and use the session as an opportunity to hear recommendations from the IGF community on how to strengthen the principles.

This conversation is particularly timely in light of the WSIS+20 Review Process, where DPI may feature prominently in revising the WSIS Action Lines. Furthermore, DPI has become a central element in international cooperation, with the Indian and Brazilian G20 Presidencies prioritizing it, and its relevance to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is widely acknowledged.