Pre 3: Exploring Frontier technologies for harnessing digital public good and advancing Digital Inclusion

Summary

This discussion focused on digital inclusion and emerging technologies, particularly within the context of UNESCO’s Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality. The session began with presentations on two key issues: the human rights implications of quantum technologies and the role of libraries in promoting digital inclusion. Speakers emphasized the need for a human rights-centered approach to quantum technology governance and highlighted libraries’ potential to bridge digital divides.

The discussion then broadened to address various aspects of digital inclusion. Speakers stressed the importance of collecting disaggregated data to better understand and address digital inequalities, particularly those related to gender, geography, and socioeconomic factors. The need for evidence-based policymaking and participatory approaches in developing AI and other emerging technologies was highlighted.

Participants also discussed the role of multilingualism in digital inclusion, with examples given of efforts to integrate endangered indigenous languages into smartphone interfaces. The Council of Europe’s work on AI and non-discrimination was presented, emphasizing the need for preventive measures and public supervision to mitigate bias in AI systems.

Throughout the session, speakers underscored the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and the need to center marginalized communities in the development and governance of digital technologies. The discussion concluded with a call for specific language on digital inclusion and emerging technologies to be included in the upcoming WSIS+20 review, highlighting the ongoing relevance of these issues in global digital policy discussions.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– The importance of data and evidence in measuring digital inclusion, especially disaggregated data to understand impacts on specific groups

– The role of libraries in promoting digital literacy and access, especially in underserved communities

– Addressing bias and discrimination risks in AI systems through policy frameworks and capacity building

– Efforts to include endangered indigenous languages in digital technologies to promote linguistic diversity

– The need for human rights-centered and participatory approaches to governing emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing

Overall purpose:

The goal of this discussion was to share research, initiatives and policy recommendations from various stakeholders on promoting digital inclusion and addressing risks of emerging technologies, in support of UNESCO’s work on these issues.

Tone:

The tone was largely informative and collaborative, with speakers presenting their work and ideas in a professional manner. There was an underlying sense of urgency about addressing digital divides and risks, but the overall tone remained optimistic about potential solutions through multi-stakeholder cooperation.

Speakers

– Xianhong Hu: Program Specialist at UNESCO, working on the Information for All program

– Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi: Director of UNESCO in charge of Digital Inclusion Policy and Transformation

– Shamira Ahmed: Executive Director of the Data Economy Policy Hub, co-author of issue brief on quantum technology

– Maria De Brasdefer: Digital Affairs Policy and Advocacy Officer from IFLA

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen: EGov Advisor and Principal Research Specialist at United Nations University

– Onica Makwakwa: Executive Director of Global Digital Inclusion Partnership

– Charlotte Gilmartin: Co-secretary of the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion from the Council of Europe

– Janine Oliveira: Executive Director, Business Development Intelligent Devices Group of Lenovo

– Delaney Gomez Jackson: Language Services Manager of Motorola Mobility

Additional speakers:

– Constance Bollemaire: From Tech and Global Affairs Innovation Hub at Sciences Po in Paris (mentioned but did not speak)

– Esteban Sanz: From the European Commission (audience member who asked a question)

Digital Inclusion and Emerging Technologies: A Comprehensive Discussion

This report summarizes a discussion on digital inclusion and emerging technologies, held within the context of UNESCO’s Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality. The session brought together experts from various fields to address key issues and share insights on promoting digital inclusion and addressing risks associated with emerging technologies.

Introduction and UNESCO’s Role

Xianhong Hu, Program Specialist at UNESCO, opened the session by introducing UNESCO’s work on digital inclusion and the Dynamic Coalition. She highlighted UNESCO’s efforts in developing indicators and frameworks to measure digital inclusion, particularly through the Information for All Programme (IFAP). Hu also mentioned an upcoming UNESCO session on internet universality indicators and gender equality.

Human Rights Implications of Quantum Technologies

Shamira Ahmed, Executive Director of the Data Economy Policy Hub, presented on the human rights implications of quantum technologies. She emphasized the need for a human rights-centered approach to quantum technology governance, highlighting the importance of anticipatory governance. Ahmed discussed potential risks and benefits of quantum technologies, including their impact on encryption, privacy, and security.

Libraries’ Role in Digital Inclusion

Maria De Brasdefer, Digital Affairs Policy and Advocacy Officer from IFLA, discussed the crucial role of libraries in promoting digital inclusion. She highlighted libraries as providers of free or low-cost internet access and digital skills training, particularly for underserved communities. De Brasdefer emphasized the potential for library-based connectivity initiatives to expand digital inclusion and stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in these efforts.

Data Collection and Measurement for Digital Inclusion

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen, EGov Advisor and Principal Research Specialist at United Nations University, stressed the need for segmented, demand-driven data on digital inclusion. He argued that geographical segmentation is crucial, stating, “We need to segment our data and we must collect this in a different way. So first of all, we want to know where is the digitally excluded potentially living. So we want geographical segmentation. Just knowing the data for the national context is not enough.”

Onika Makwakwa, Executive Director of Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, emphasized the need for disaggregated data in policy processes related to AI and digital technologies. She highlighted the importance of data reflecting lived realities, stating, “We can’t regulate AI in a vacuum. We need data that reflects lived realities of people, frameworks that elevate human rights, and institutions that listen to those who are affected the most.”

AI, Equality, and Non-discrimination

Charlotte Gilmartin, Co-secretary of the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion from the Council of Europe, presented on the organisation’s work on AI, equality, and non-discrimination. She highlighted:

– The development of policy guidelines for member states on AI and equality

– Training programmes on AI and discrimination for equality bodies

– The importance of impact assessments and inclusive sandboxes for AI systems

Gilmartin provided a thought-provoking insight on AI bias, stating, “Bias in an AI system is not just a glitch in an otherwise unbiased system, but it’s indeed systemic and inherent in its functioning. And because the sources of bias is not ultimately technological, they can’t be resolved using technology alone.”

Linguistic Diversity and Digital Inclusion

The discussion also addressed the role of multilingualism in digital inclusion:

Janine Oliveira, Executive Director, Business Development Intelligent Devices Group of Lenovo, and Delaney Gomez Jackson, Language Services Manager of Motorola Mobility, discussed efforts to integrate endangered indigenous languages into smartphone interfaces. They specifically mentioned the inclusion of languages such as Kaingang, Nheengatu, and Guarani in their devices.

Gomez Jackson quoted Professor Paul Wiedersaat, stating, “Mobile phones are the pencil of the 21st century. He is also a believer that language is the carrier of a culture and that each minority language and each language of the world contributes to making the world richer.” This metaphor highlighted the cultural importance of language diversity in digital spaces.

Recommendations and Action Items

Based on the discussion, several recommendations and action items were identified:

1. Develop policy guidelines for member states on AI, equality, and non-discrimination (Council of Europe)

2. Expand training programmes on AI and discrimination for equality bodies

3. Continue efforts to integrate more endangered languages into smartphone interfaces (Motorola/Lenovo)

4. Support the development of national AI observatories and measurement coalitions

Conclusion

The discussion highlighted the complex and multifaceted nature of digital inclusion and the governance of emerging technologies. It emphasized the need for collaborative, data-driven, and inclusive approaches that consider human rights, cultural diversity, and the lived experiences of marginalized communities. The speakers underscored the importance of comprehensive data collection, human rights-centered governance, and the preservation of linguistic diversity in promoting digital inclusion. As digital technologies continue to evolve, ongoing dialogue and cooperation between various stakeholders will be crucial in ensuring that these technologies benefit all members of society and contribute to a more equitable digital future.

Xianhong Hu: for today, so you can read them. And now I’m going to give the floor to the moderator, Dr. Xian Hong. Thank you. Thank you, ladies. And good morning. Bonjour, tout le monde. We are so happy to be here. And thank you to Eurodig. Thanks to the Council of Europe for hosting this wonderful event with all of you. Yes, we are here at the networking session of the IGF Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality. Today, we are focused on the fascinating discussion on exploring the frontier technologies for harnessing public digital goods and also for sustainable development. So we are having a very strong panel of participants and speakers in the room and also online. We have a very vibrant online participation, actually. So let me start by showing a video message from Mr. Guilherme Canela, the newly appointed director of UNESCO in charge of the Digital Inclusion Policy and Transformation. So may I invite my colleague Yichen from Zoom to please display the video message for Mr. Canela. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, we see the video, but no sound yet.

Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi: Hello, everyone. A real pleasure to be addressing you, although remotely. I would have loved to be in this fantastic city of Strasbourg with you. I do hope you are enjoying the fantastic wine and the great food. But here is to discuss the challenges of the information ecosystem. Thank you, Eurodig, for accommodating this discussion. Always a great partner of UNESCO in general, IFAP in particular. Needless to say, I think we all agree, I can’t think in another moment of the recent international national history of such levels of complexity, and particularly for the information system. So here, there is no other way. We need to find the correct paths to leverage the opportunities and to mitigate the risks. Easy to say, not easy to be done. However, we have interesting tools in place. This year, there is the 20th Review Process of the World, Summit of Information Society. We are just starting the implementation of the Global Digital Contact. We have five years to finish the 2030 Agenda. Only those three elements are absolutely vital for our conversations, for your conversations there. And I’m glad to see that the partners are really facing the challenge. In no time, this dynamic coalition reached at least 60 members from different angles that are particularly relevant for this discussion. And this multi-stakeholder conversation is absolutely vital for moving ahead. So thank you, every one of you, for participating, for joining the dynamic coalition, and for making sure that we can share knowledge and also that we can agree to disagree. We don’t need to all think alike in this area, but we need to produce a content that helps the different stakeholders to move forward. A quick message on the last IFAP meeting, the information for our program. UNESCO, I mean, the multilateral diplomacy is also a relevant point in this conversation. And this is our role, to be an honest broker, to be a convener that puts in touch governments, our diplomatic members, the diplomacies of our member states, with the other relevant experts and organizations that joined this council a few weeks ago. And different things. were able to be approved, including the UNESCO IFLA Manifesto for School Libraries, which is a very, very interesting concrete suggestion to advance what we are discussing here. Next, very briefly, we are discussing a recently launched issue brief of IFAP on quantum technology with a clear human rights-based approach. And this is central to discuss the new technologies with this approach. So I’m very eager to receive your feedback on this joint issue brief with other partners that are also participating in this discussion. And we are opening a consultation about a new issue brief on libraries and how libraries are essential for this process of digital inclusion. Final word, for advancing on policies, we need to have evidence. And for that, for example, the UNESCO Internet Universality Indicators, they have been, for the last decade, yes, we are celebrating this year the 10th anniversary, they have been an important tool for providing evidence for governments and other stakeholders on how to improve internet policy everywhere. It is not only about standard setting or only about measuring and evaluation. It’s also about advocacy, because with these standards, the different players can pitch a better internet. And what is a better internet? Rights-based open access and multi-stakeholder, everything that is there, internet universality. Thank you for your attention. Wishing you a fantastic discussions these days. Thank you very much.

Xianhong Hu: As you can sense the strong passion and the support inspiring a message from Mr. Canilla. Following what he has said, I’d like to briefly present a very short PowerPoint to give more details about those key outcome. program he has just mentioned. So, Yichen, could you please share my PowerPoint? Thank you. By the way, my name is Xianhong, a program specialist at UNESCO. I’m working on the information for our program. Next slide, please. So, as Guillermo mentioned that the multilateral diplomacy is still important in the multi-stakeholder ecosystem. Our program was created in 2001, so we are having the 25th anniversary in a year. So, it’s a high moment to reshape and to revive the program to tackle the emerging challenges. We are hosting six working groups, having more than 100 experts from five continents. We have 24 national committees created by the national governments to support the IFAD priorities. Next slide, please. And the six priorities of our program, as you can see, information for development, information literacy, multilingualism, information accessibility, information preservation, information ethics, they are so well contributing to the forthcoming implementation of a global digital compact, which shares the goals to close all digital devices, to expand inclusion, and to foster inclusive digital space, advancing the interoperable data governance and also the AI governance. So, we really look forward to playing a bigger role to contribute to this bigger process of GDC implementation, which is one of the hot subjects in this EuroDIG. Next slide, please. In this context, IFAD joined with our co-founder Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, GDIP. We have a speaker representing GDIP online as well. Then we have joined with several a key organizing partner, including International Federation of Library Associations Institution, IFLA, including Eurodig, and LoEF, and also Sciences Po, as you can see from the screen. So all you need to do is to just scan this QR on the screen. You can submit your membership form to us, so we can include you in this big process. We already received more than 60 members since creation from last year. We can see that’s just such a strong call for having an evidence-based approach to advance digital inclusion at all levels. Next slide, please. Next slide, please. Thank you. So, so far, we have received more than 52 subscribed members from our web link. You see the members came from everywhere. We have eight universities, institutions from Latin America and Caribbean. We have more than, more than 20 from Europe and North America. We have 15 members from Africa, and then 14 from Asia Pacific. I hope many of you are already connected online, or maybe in the room. I look forward to having more conversation with you. So next slide, please. And we have already created a database of these members of the Dynamic Coalition. We are planning to have the regular online meeting and also this kind of networking occasion at different global events, including EuroDIG, including maybe IGF, WSIS, et cetera, to have more opportunity to strategize and synergize together. Next slide, please. Yeah, this is a member from Europe and Latin America. Next slide, please. That’s what I mentioned that with, you know, nobody can tackle a single… party on the big challenges of digital inclusion. So through this networking efforts, we have been able, and we are there only for a year, but we have been able to make the dynamic coalition functioning in a number of ways, such as we have the webinar on the gender inclusion, gender transformative policy, jointly with GDIP last year. We have been showing case our work at IGF last year, at the North African IGF, and EURDIGA last year as well. Next slide, please. And jointly with partners, we are developing new research to look into the frontier technologies and emerging issues. For example, at EURDIGA, I’m very proud we are going to launch this new issue brief on the human rights-based global governance of quantum technology will be the next frontier technology in the horizon to impact entire ecosystem of Internet and artificial intelligence. So with this slide, I’m finishing my brief introduction. Now we are going to have two semantic presentation to showcase the outcome from dynamic coalition members. So the one I’m inviting, Ms. Shamira Ahmed, are you online with us? Yes.

Shamira Ahmed: Hi, everyone.

Xianhong Hu: Okay. Hello, Shamira. And also, Ms. Constance Bollemaire, are you there with me? Okay, if not there, let’s continue with Ms. Shamira Ahmed. She’s one of the co-authors with Ms. Constance Bollemaire from the Tech and Global Affairs Innovation Hub at Sciences Po in Paris. And even though you are not there, Constance, I’d like to thank you for your strong support to initiate and complete this important issue brief. And also, Ms. Shamira is Executive Director of the Data Economy Policy Hub. You are the leading author of this important research and congratulations for having conducted such an excellent, educating research into these new issues. So could you please present the major findings and recommendations from the research?

Shamira Ahmed: Yes, thank you for that warm introduction, Xiaohong. I will share my screen. Yes, please go ahead. Can you see my screen? Not yet, could you try again? Actually, I have brought many hard copies in the room. So for your interest, you can just have one. Can you see my screen? No, but I think we can see you are sharing your screen. And no, can you pick your PowerPoint? Yes, I can see the PowerPoint on my side. But we cannot see your PowerPoint, maybe try again. Let me try again. It should work. Yeah, now we see it, well done. Could you please, yeah, go to the first? Let me go to the first, well, okay, thank you. As Yang Hong mentioned, I wrote this, co-authored this issue brief with Constance Ramallah from Sciences Po and with support from many experts in the field and especially from the UNESCO Information for All program. So in summary, the main premise of the issue brief is to highlight that we are approaching a second quantum revolution that builds upon the foundational principles of quantum mechanics and focuses on practical applications through direct control and manipulation of quantum phenomena and essentially most of these innovations and applications will be based on existing ICT infrastructure and internet governance issues and we see some of them emerging. There have been sessions previously done as a precursor to EuroDIG and this year is the international year of quantum technologies. So I think this issue brief is quite timely and focusing on the human rights dimensions of the governance and ethical and societal issues is quite significant as opposed to focusing on competitive advantage and atomic strategic autonomy and other inclusive approaches that might exacerbate inequalities and create more divisions that are based on the digital divide. So the core innovations that we see and there is a lot of hype is quantum computing, communications and sensing and networks and again as I mentioned most of these are based on existing ICT infrastructure or creating new types of ICT and digital infrastructure and why is having an approach or thinking about the quantum revolution important. It’s because there is potential transformative impact of the quantum technologies to revolutionize industries such as healthcare, finance, energy and defense. There’s also a lot of global competition where private actors and nations are investing heavily in quantum research to gain strategic and economic advantages. And the emerging quantum economy could give rise to a new economic paradigm with implications for societal and ethical aspects. And with this brief, we want to focus more on the implications and the possible challenges, and which is why we focused on a human rights approach to govern global quantum technologies. So the three main challenges ahead we identified in our policy brief is there is accessibility challenges, we need to ensure equitable access to quantum technologies. There are also governance challenges which need to be addressed, ethical security and society implications, and diversity where bridging talent and gender gaps in the quantum workforce are very critical to address in an anticipatory fashion. And the main premise of our policy brief, our issue brief is focusing on human rights. So why are human rights essential for global quantum governance? Like other digital rights, we need to protect fundamental freedoms with quantum technologies. The right to privacy may be threatened, particularly in quantum computing, and existing encryption methods might be deemed irrelevant and expose sensitive data and threatened privacy of many actors in our existing systems. So freedom of expression could also be threatened by quantum enhanced communications, which can inhibit free speech. and also can be used for surveillance without ethical safeguards. Another reason why we need to center human rights as essential aspects for global quantum governance is that we need to address global inequalities. We already see an emerging digital divide, there’s an AI divide, and an emerging quantum divide where access to quantum technology is very uneven, with significant investments and application and research that’s very concentrated in a few countries. There are also gender equity issues. The quantum workforce shows stark gender disparities, and 70% of quantum companies have no female senior leaders, for example. We also need to think of the ethical use of transformative technology because technologies don’t happen in a vacuum. Their values and that are associated with technical artifacts and quantum technologies are no different. And furthermore, we have quantum technologies are dual use, and the applications can be used for society to benefit and also paradoxically for harm. So human rights principles can ensure ethical use, which allow us to balance innovation, regulation with accountability. And fourth, we need to support sustainable development goals, and centering human rights can enhance other indicators and metrics that are more difficult, like inclusivity and global equity, but they also align with SDG 10 and 16, reducing inequalities, peace, justice, and strong institutions, and centering human rights to reduce inequalities and for peace, justice, and strong institutions is quite central to achieving these goals. Global equity is also important, and human rights approach can ensure. that the governance of quantum technologies contribute to equitable development rather than reinforcing the dominance of already powerful nations or corporations. And the fifth reason why we need to center human rights for global quantum governance is for anticipation of future risks. When we converge quantum and AI, we highlight that in brief detail in our policy brief, there are potential situations that could exacerbate biases and ethical challenges inherent in already existing current AI systems. And there are also environmental impacts to consider where quantum technologies can alleviate environmental impact based on sensing and data and applications, but also they could exacerbate environmental impacts due to the high computing needs and also energy requirements and data centers required to power quantum computers, for example. So those are things we need to consider and everyone has a right for a clean environment as a human right, economic opportunities beyond the right to privacy and freedom of expression. In terms of our key common recommendations in building a human-centered quantum future, we focused on four main focus areas and we provided key recommendations. And this is a summary of what’s in the policy brief. The policy brief, the issue brief is online. So you can have a chance to look at it in detail. But in summary, we focused on infrastructure investments, raising awareness on policy, raising awareness on policy and distinguishing the hype and the actual realities of what’s happening in the quantum ecosystem. Capacity building is very important. as well. Addressing the gender divide by having metrics and indicators to achieve, understanding what the issues are, and encouraging more diverse, marginalized groups in the development of different aspects of the quantum ecosystem, from governance, from practical applications, from marketing. The ecosystem has a lot of different experts that are needed to ensure that quantum technologies are scaled for public interest use. UNESCO’s role is also particularly important in building a human-centered quantum future, and, for example, the Information for All program’s work can enhance some of the challenges and can be used to leverage advocacy, awareness, and policy, and shape a human-rights-centered governance framework for human innovation and sustainable development. And beyond the Information for All program, there are a lot of initiatives within UNESCO that could enhance different aspects that are already existing for building a human-centered quantum future. In terms of tailored actions for key stakeholders, we acknowledge that the quantum ecosystem, the emerging quantum economy, is reliant on different stakeholder groups and requires co-creation with different stakeholders beyond the traditional innovation models where it’s just academia, industry, and governments, and we need different experts, civil society. We need to look at other groups or stakeholders that are not considered usually in these processes of developing an ecosystem that supports the public interest and essentially quantum for good. In terms of our final calls to action, we’ve highlighted in the issue brief. We need to join the efforts to advance human rights-centered quantum governance and I listed the reasons why. You need to support global equity and partner with international organizations like UNESCO to bridge the emerging quantum divide and ensure inclusive access and awareness of the benefits and challenges of quantum technologies beyond the hype. We also need to foster collaboration so engaging in multi-stakeholder initiatives such as IGF and the various regional and global IGFs are very crucial initiatives to promote ethical sustainable innovation in the quantum sector. We also need to raise awareness of the issues and the benefits and advocating for inclusive global policies that are realistic and time-oriented and that essentially protect human rights are very important to ensure quantum advancements benefit all people and the planet and are not only centered on organizations or regions that have a competitive advantage at the detriment of other regions and especially because a lot of the quantum technology applications are based on existing internet governance issues and ICT infrastructure it goes without saying that we need to co-create a global ecosystem that is centered on how the internet is supposed to benefit everyone regardless of geographical position. And fifth, we need to participate in the international year of quantum science and technologies. There are a lot of initiatives and I think you can look on UNESCO’s site and see how you can get involved and participate, gain some knowledge and see what different innovations perspectives and contributions are being made from different actors in the global quantum ecosystem. And thank you for your time. You can scan the issue brief here with the QR code. And thank you again for UNESCO and the colleagues who contributed to the issue brief. And I’ll be here for any further questions. I will also join later in person. So you can always reach out to me if you see me to ask me further questions.

Xianhong Hu: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Shamira. And this is really a substantial sharing on this new technology quantum, how it’s going to impact human rights, how we can manage to harnessing this quantum for advancing humanity and benefiting everyone, benefiting the planet. So I saw there are several sessions related to the quantum in this year’s EuroDIG. I’m sure the topic will be resonated later on in the entire EuroDIG. Thanks for your interest here. Now I’d like to give floor to Ms. Maria Prestifer, the digital affair policy and advocacy officer from IFLA. And she’s going to present ongoing work among the dynamic coalition. We are developing new research about how we empower the libraries and the librarians and the traditional agent of a knowledge society to continue to play a crucial role in advancing the digital inclusion. Maria, could you please take the floor? Thank you, Xianghong.

Maria De Brasdefer: Thank you also for such a warm introduction. And let me just share my screen very quickly. Can you see my screen? Not yet. Please try again. I believe it should be working now. Yes, it does. Please go ahead. Okay, perfect. Thank you Xianghong for the introduction. And well, as I mentioned, my name is Maria de Rastefer and I work as IFLA, the Digital Affairs Policy Officer. And today in particular, I’m here to talk about an upcoming document, which is a policy brief that is being produced by IFLA in collaboration with UNESCO-IFAB. And so I’m going to talk a little bit about what this document is about and also how it may serve the Internet community. And well, perhaps some of you already know, but while this is not the first time that IFLA and UNESCO collaborate on documents related to digital inclusion, as Xianghong mentioned, we have had a continuous collaboration between the DC in measuring digital inclusion and DC on public access in libraries. We did think it’s important to have a document that can support both member states and other stakeholders in the process of either formulating information related policies or partnering with libraries to improve digital inclusion efforts at the regional or national levels. And we do understand that this process is not always very straightforward, especially for the individuals, member states or organizations that have not previously exchanged with library networks in their own countries. And because of that, we want to facilitate this process for them. And more importantly, we also want to show the value there is in partnering with the local library networks. And so just to talk a little bit about what it is in a nutshell. So as you can see, it is really a series of library and policy recommendations. And so the first one is library policy recommendations from member states on digital inclusion. to help them understand and also how to rely on the global library expertise and infrastructure to respond to common digital challenges. So it really is a means to provide an entry point for policymakers and other stakeholders to begin or maybe to even deepen their engagement if they already have one with relevant library systems and perhaps also with national and subnational levels. And then before talking a little bit more about the brief I also wanted to mention very shortly that yeah perhaps you already know this but of course the nature of libraries is changing very rapidly over time. So today we have a library network that extends to over 2.8 million libraries globally so it’s really a growing network. It is also staffed by over 1.6 million people and over half a million volunteers across the world. But of course also libraries have also redefined their spaces and also their approaches for the digital era. And because of that I would like to mention very briefly some of the cases that we decided to include in the policy brief but also to showcase how important or has been the role that some libraries have had in terms of digital inclusion in certain countries. So for example here in the slides you can see how some photos of a Tunisian library who did a digital skills course promoting opportunities for women at a local level. There have been also other instances where the library’s digitization center has provided training and employment for people with special needs and many many different cases that have significantly contributing to bridging that digital divide at a local level. And so now just to talk a little bit more about what the brief is about. So the brief is composed by six core policy areas, and we decided to choose these core policy areas because we guided ourselves from previous documents from both IFAP and IFLA, but also guiding documents like the Global Digital Compact. And so these six core policy areas, they address cross-cutting issues of the digital inclusion landscape, and we agreed upon them, as I said, basing ourselves on IFAP and IFLA strategic plan for the upcoming years. And just to talk very briefly about each of the areas. The first one is on access and affordability. And so, as you can see, and perhaps you also know it, but libraries in the sense can play a pivotal role by providing free or low cost access, not just to the internet but also to devices. So this policy area in the brief explores strategies for expanding library-based connectivity initiatives, and also to ensure that they’re both inclusive and sustainable in the long term. And then we also have the learning capacity and development. I think that one’s quite straightforward. It talks a lot about digital literacy, knowledge, and overall skills, and the policy area focuses on a joint enhancement of efforts done by policymakers and librarians. Then there’s, of course, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and it talks about how to achieve digital inclusion by doing cross-sector collaboration, because libraries as community hubs are well-placed to lead or participate in multi-stakeholder activities. And so because of that, this policy area takes a look at diverse recommendations to achieve successful collaboration on digital inclusion initiatives with the help of libraries. We also, of course, have trust and safety in the digital environment, because we also believe libraries can also contribute to digital inclusion. this to this significantly by providing a safe space for public access to the internet to their users. And the two last ones we also think very important the preservation of information integrity which has been also a role that libraries have had for a really long time as they represent an essential infrastructure for promoting and also ensuring information integrity. And finally of course also AI and emerging technologies because as we know artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies like quantum perhaps are really greatly impacting connectivity and also the digital information environment. And so because of that we also believe there’s a lot of libraries that are already doing in terms of AI and can also and how can they also help implement initiatives that are also based on that are human rights respecting and also to raise awareness about this. And so the policy brief as you can see beyond the recommendations that we offered they also have some tailored actions for each of the stakeholders and the tailored actions are not just for policymakers member states but they’re also for library partners because we do understand as I mentioned before sometimes people know the infrastructures there but perhaps the process of collaborating and making this functional is not very clear. So we realized it was important to include tailored actions in each of these six core policy areas so people know exactly how perhaps this collaboration would look like in these terms. And as I also mentioned very briefly we have also included some case studies in the product because we really think it’s important to accompany the brief with real-life examples on maybe how these collaborations look like in the real life. And for the sake of time I’m not going to extend too much on it, but I would just like to briefly mention one of these case studies, which is the one that I’m showing on the screen. And this is the case of a rural library in Edinburgh, South Africa. And so what happened in this case is that as a product of cooperation between the local government, local library and the Small Enterprise Development Agency, the SIDA, this partnership contributed to both the lending of several hectares of land for local farmers, but also to a training that in this case was designed by the library to support the farmers in growing their business in that region. And we wanted to share it as part of the brief because this initiative was really successful and we really realized it contributed to creating a lot of opportunities, not just for the people who were initially involved, but also to other individuals, particularly to a lot of young women in the region who are also agriculturists. And the initiative was so successful that to this date we are proud to note that the library continues to support the cooperative by providing space for farmers to hold regular business meetings, perhaps with other stakeholders. They continue to provide access to ICT equipment such as computers and projectors at no cost. And also the library continues their cooperation with SIDA, for example, by hosting business training sessions for other agricultural stakeholders. And they do regular presentations about their work using the library ICT equipment, and they hold meetings with stakeholder organizations. And so these are just some of the examples of what we think those six core policy areas can help. perhaps other stakeholders, member states, or even individuals reflect on how we can shape these types of partnerships and collaborations, and also how we can put the global library infrastructure at the service of also other Internet-related challenges. And so just before concluding, I also wanted to talk a little bit about the timeline with the brief, because even though the final version of the brief has officially been approved, but it’s still going through the final publishing process, so we are hoping to be able to launch it perhaps at the IGF or the WSIS. And what we would like to do upon the publication of the brief, of course, is not just to get it out, but also to do some targeted dissemination and outreach, so perhaps organize an exchange with key stakeholders and organizations, and maybe also presentations and webinars where we can provide space for opportunities for dialogues. So maybe spaces where we can actually discuss about these possible partnerships and what they may look like, and perhaps also follow up calls to action. So maybe ensure use of recommendations in national or institutional processes. And the last one, which I think is the most important one, is maybe also from the side of IFLA, we would really like to provide implementation guidance for these recommendations. So maybe develop follow-up tools, such as roadmaps, or maybe other documents that are informed by the feedback that we obtain upon the publication of the brief, and sort of to accompany both member states, stakeholders, organizations, but also the library networks that decide to engage in these types of partnerships to make sure that they are successful in the end. Okay, so arriving to… the end of the presentation so I would like to thank you for your attention and of course I would also like to invite you to keep following other IFLA and IFAP events as I mentioned perhaps via the IGF and WSIS and of course follow our website and socials where we were going to be launching these guiding documents once it is published. So thank you Xianghong and colleagues.

Xianhong Hu: Thank you Maria for this excellent presentation. We do see the power and the huge potential of libraries in digital age for advancing global equality and empowering the community and grassroots. So as you can see from these two issue brief of dynamic coalition that is kind of a policy research and tackling the emerging issues and give the policy recommendations so through UNESCO’s network we are able to sensitize our member states on those important challenges and opportunities but also we are sharing the good practice some cases from different countries. It can be duplicated in other countries. So if any members any researchers and any participants in this room online you also receive a certain topic deserving such attention please do reach out to us so we can collaborate to develop new policy research and to to advocate that in the same way as we are doing today. And thank you again for the two presenters which showcase the wonderful outcome from this dynamic coalition through our joint efforts. Now I’m moving quickly to the second part of today’s event. We have invited four speakers representing members and stakeholders for D.C. and to give some strategic sharing of their thoughts and their work and practices in different area and to trigger further discussion. And also I hope before we close we can have 10 minutes to engage the participants in the room online. So please feel free to type your comments and questions in the chat and also prepare to take the floor before we close. So now I go quickly with our panel of the strategic session. Firstly, I’d like to invite Mr. Morton Moyerhoff-Nielsen, the EGov Advisor and the Principal Research Specialist and the Research Line Coordinator of United Nations University EGov. Morton, please take the floor. You have five minutes. Thank you.

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen: Okay, thank you. Greatly appreciated this opportunity. So I have two types of highlights for my next couple of minutes. One is on data and the other one is on service design standards for lowering the barrier. But let’s start with data collection. If we look at both national and global indicators being collected for measuring digital inclusion, they are leaving some room for improvement. First of all, we see that most data is collected on an annual basis, meaning that things like, have you used the internet in the last 12 months? Yes or no, is all that we have to work with as policy makers. This doesn’t really narrow down who is digitally included or not. So what we actually have been doing is some research on national indicators and we see that generally it’s a hen and egg sort of discussion. The countries and decision makers that need the most data to pinpoint digital exclusion in their communities are the ones with the weakest data sets. The countries and decision makers that have the smallest challenge, for instance, in the global North, rich countries, they have better data. And when I talk about better data, I’m not just talking about. the data quality. I’m talking about geographical and socioeconomic segmented data. As a policymaker, it is essential for us to address this challenge of digital inclusion and exclusion as quickly as possible, considering that a third of the world’s population is still not included in a digital sense. So we’re talking about 2.4 to 2.8 billion people, the majority of which are women, and from lower socioeconomic and educational attainment backgrounds. So this means that for us as policymakers, we must segment our data and we must collect this in a different way. So first of all, we want to know where is the digitally excluded potentially living. So we want geographical segmentation. Just knowing the data for the national context is not enough. So if I’m in Brazil, how do I know where the digitally excluded live if I don’t have any geographical segmented data? Then we want gender. We want to see is it a specific gender issue in this location, because that will impact the way we tailor our initiatives to address the challenge. Similarly, we want to look at age groups. We want to look at any socioeconomic indicators like educational attainment, income levels, etc. And this we may want to complement with some context specific indicators such as mother tongue languages, is there any ethnicity issues, etc. Now that will give us an ability to pinpoint areas or communities which are excluded and then tailor specific initiatives around that. And we need to do that on a regular basis. It’s not enough to do this every 10 years when there’s a national census, it needs to be done on a regular basis. So here again, colleagues of mine at UNHCR. UIGAV and our partners in Brazil at CETEC did a policy brief, particularly on this issue, looking at not just supply and the theoretical inclusion, but actually demand driven data and use the segmented data. And one of the recommendations we came up with is to work, for instance, with the telco industry. So if we link our population database where we have all individuals, ideally in our communities registered, we can combine that with address database. We can then, in over 150 countries, link that to people who have a mobile subscription or an internet subscription. Because in 150 plus countries, it is legally required that you have legal identity documents when you get a mobile phone or an internet subscription. And this is reported to the telco regulators. So that gives us an indication of who have what type of subscriptions, obviously in an anonymized sense. But the telcos collect gender, they collect age groups. We can ask them to potentially collect a little bit of extra information. We can then mirror that up with heat maps. So seeing where is the demand of data in our communities in a geographical sense? What are the type of generic IP addresses that are being accessed? Is it for online commerce? Is it for mobile or electronic banking? Is it government services? So that gives us a more automated and potentially more data-driven approach to measure digital inclusion and then tailor specific initiatives based on this data that pinpoints who are the digitally excluded in which part of our countries or which part of our communities. So that’s one recommendation. And I’ll put the link to the policy brief into the chat so you have it. The other recommendations I would want to make here is to lower the barrier for accessing government services, for instance, once we are digitally included. We know that the second digital… divide is less about the theoretical access to the internet and more about the relative cost of that access. But it’s also about understanding how government or the private sector is communicating with us as individual citizens or entrepreneurs. So here again there’s a whole area of work happening in online service design standard that both address sort of web accessibility for those who have different forms of physical or cognitive disabilities that lowers that barrier. So they can use their technologies to actually access services online through this web accessibility guidelines. But it goes beyond that. The second digital divide is not so much about using the technology but understanding the content online. So here again good design standards actually go in and lower the barrier in terms of language use. How do we communicate with people in a simple everyday action orientated way? How do we ensure that there’s a certain intuitive design logic to all the different services that governments provide? And how are they built up? Because together the simplified language use, the look and feel, the intuition of government services will then actually lower that digital barrier not just for people with disabilities but also for all individuals no matter the educational attainment level. So again there’s two elements around that. There’s a monitoring and measurement to identify the type of initiatives that we need to tailor to specific groups that are still unfortunately excluded because the one size again does not fit all. And then also how do we in practice once people are online lower the barrier in the way that we design services and communicate with our target audiences. So this is some of the work that we’re doing. And two of the sort of clusters of recommendations that we would have in order to achieve the SDGs and also the global digital compact objectives.

Xianhong Hu: Thank you. Thank you, Morten, for sharing so many good insights perfectly about the nuanced approach in mirroring device, including gender device and many others. Without this, we won’t be able to put in place tailored policies to eventually help those women, girls, minorities eventually meaningfully connect and access the Internet and any other technologies, including quantum, as we mentioned. So now I’d like to move to the next speaker, Ms. Onika Makwaka, the Executive Director of Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, the co-founder of the Dynamic Coalition as well. So, Onika, could you please take the floor? Hello, Onika, are you with me?

Onica Makwakwa: Yes, I’m here. Thank you. It just took me a second to unmute myself. Wonderful. Well, good morning, everyone. And thank you so much for this opportunity and also for the really insightful presentations, you know, both Shamira and Maria and Morten as well. I’m going to quickly just get into it since my five minutes is already on cue. And, you know, just briefly, the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, we are a multi-stakeholder partnership that is dedicated to advancing meaningful connectivity in the global majority. And, you know, making sure also that digital transformation truly serves the majority, that women and girls, rural communities, persons with disabilities, poor people and others are often excluded from detail and policy spaces are included. So today, I just really want to speak about a key tool for equity in the age of artificial intelligence. And as we look at all these emerging technologies, and that is evidence. And please. the speakers before me have really outlined this so well in terms of why we need to focus on evidence, right? You know, as AI systems, you know, only the AI systems are only going to be as inclusive as the data and decisions that is behind them. And right now, both remain deeply unequal. From biased data sets to policy frameworks written without local context, there’s a risk that emerging technologies will actually deepen the divides that it could otherwise help us bridge or that we are hoping, you know, would help us bridge. So at GDIP, we see this not only as a technological challenge but as a governance one. And we believe that the starting point for more, you know, just and inclusive technology systems is really measurement that centers people for the most part. You know, too often, global digital and AI indicators focus on infrastructure or innovation capacity, but say very little about things like affordability, access or agency as well. They miss the gendered barriers to entry, the cost burdens for rural areas and the data justice concerns facing marginalized groups that are becoming even more concerning as we move deeper into emerging technologies, especially AI. That’s why, you know, at GDIP, we really champion an approach that is evidence-based and equity-driven and most importantly participatory. And I’ll just give a few examples of some of the practices that we’ve really adopted through just kind of highlighting some specific examples. You know, we are building on a legacy work that our… team has done on developing the Affordability Drivers Index, for example, which used multidimensional lens to evaluate how policy environments support affordable internet access, to later developing pathways for meaningful connectivity. We really hope to see an expansion of this approach and indicators that cover AI readiness and governance, not just access, right? As an example of work that we are undertaking this year, we are expanding on our Connected Resilience Research, where we’ll be looking at eight countries and looking specifically at gendered experiences of meaningful connectivity. And in this research, we actually do both quantitative and qualitative research. But most exciting has been this unique approach of looking at policy ethnography, where we actually evaluate and look at how policies are shaping and responding to gendered digital divides specifically. And in conducting this research, we have actually modeled the importance of partnerships as well, which is another key area of just what we bring to this work. And what we hope to see more of is partnering with local organizations that look at community-based digital experiences and collecting the data alongside with them. These voices are very essential in shaping future regulation, especially on emerging technologies and AI in particular. From highlighting surveillance harms that we can learn from local people to pushing for algorithmic accountability, it’s really, I cannot overemphasize the importance of local collaboration. And also, our work through our advocacy as we championed global frameworks that prioritize digital inclusion, like UNESCO’s Rome X indicators, and work to adapt them for more actionable country-specific use. The lesson here is actually quite simple. We can’t regulate AI in a vacuum. We need data that reflects lived realities of people, frameworks that elevate human rights, and institutions that listen to those who are affected the most. And that’s really, really key, because I think the biggest fear that we hear when we talk with people is just the fear of being left behind, but also the fear of a system that’s meant to help them that actually ends up bringing more harm. So how do we move forward? First, we must require desegregated data in all policy processes. You can’t govern what you don’t understand, and that includes gender, geography, and income-related divide in digital use and harms. Very often, we find data being collected, and more and more it just really baffles me how more and more we still are not finding the kind of desegregation of the data to be able to dig deeper into, for example, the gendered experience, how women are experiencing some of these technologies in particular, and what the disparate impact is on certain specific populations. Second, we should support the development of national AI observatories and inclusive measurement coalitions rooted in regional expertise and not just only looking at global benchmarking. And I think that’s the biggest thing that we’ve been hearing from communities and activists is that while global benchmarking is really great, it’s really important for us to look at regional expertise, but also the local realities are quite important to incorporate in that. which is also why the ethnography approach in the research that we are doing has been really quite helpful in being able to document some of that. Third, you know, we must invest in impact assessment and inclusive sandboxes that give marginalized communities a direct say in shaping some of these rules before they are actually rolled out at scale. That is just I think the big lesson that we’ve learned is making sure that, you know, we are building nothing for people without them being part of, you know, those solutions, whether it’s, you know, from the technology point of view, but as well as from the policy point of view. So it’s quite important to be inclusive. You know, at GDIP, we really believe that inclusion must be the baseline, not the afterthought. And that inclusion is actually about, you know, online. It’s not just about who is online. It’s also about how they’re able to participate in designing, deploying, and governing the technologies of the future. So they’re not, they’re not, you know, invited in just to be consumers of digital technologies, but also they have an opportunity to shape the digital technologies and innovate and create as well. You know, we are at a critical moment, especially with AI in a way that it could potentially also entrench existing inequalities, or it can be a catalyst for dignity, opportunity, and rights. And the biggest, the one thing that will change that is how we seize this moment and this opportunity to be truly inclusive, even in our approach, as we try to, you know, develop this frameworks around governance of this emerging technologies. And so I think I will just conclude by saying that, you know, let’s measure what matters, let’s elevate the evidence, and let’s make sure that the future… future of emerging technologies is built not just for the world, but with the world. Thank you.

Xianhong Hu: Thank you so much, Onika. What you have seen really matters for our conversation. Before I move to the next speaker, I’d like to give a housekeeping announcement. And before we end the session, we like to take a hybrid picture with everyone in the room and online. So I thank our technical support, who agreed that we’ll have all the participants in the room to come to the front. And then we have other online speakers to stay and turn on your camera so we can take a hybrid picture before we end the session. And that will show the exact inclusiveness of our multistakeholder approach. So now I’d like to invite Ms. Charlotte Gil-Martin, the co-secretary of the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion from the Council of Europe. Please take the floor.

Charlotte Gilmartin: Thank you very much. I’m just going to share my screen and show the slides. Because I only have five minutes, I put some QR codes on the slides. So do please feel free to scan and then you can get a bit more information. So today I would like to introduce two parts of the work stream at the Council of Europe on AI, equality and non-discrimination. The first is the work of a specific expert committee, which is drafting a committee of ministers recommendations. So a soft law non-binding standard on the impact of AI systems on equality, including gender equality and non-discrimination. And the second is the work of the Council of Europe in the anti-discrimination sector in capacity building programmes. So the Council of Europe in its anti-discrimination department have been working on the specific challenges posed by AI systems to equality for quite some time. Today, I’d like to focus on the study which was adopted in 2023 by the CIDADI, the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination. discrimination and the GECC, which is the Gender Equality Commission, on the impact of artificial intelligence systems, their potential for promoting equality, including gender equality and the risks to non-discrimination. Based on this study, the expert committee was set up to draft a committee of ministers recommendation. And the idea of the recommendation is that it can give very specific policy guidelines to member states of the Council of Europe to ensure not only that the positive potential of AI systems for promoting equality can be harnessed, but also that they can prevent some of the risks to equality which AI systems can engender. So I’ve set out on the next slide an overview of bias and how it can infiltrate an AI system. And there’s various different points at which this can happen. I’d really encourage you to read the study, which gives a very detailed overview of the different mechanisms and different ways in which bias can enter the system. But the headlines of the study are really that bias in an AI system is not just a glitch in an otherwise unbiased system, but it’s indeed systemic and inherent in its functioning. And because the sources of bias is not ultimately technological, they can’t be resolved using technology alone. So instead, there needs to be quite a comprehensive policy-driven decision to actively prevent the reinforcing of structural inequalities, which can be ingrained in social data. So what are the ways forward? The recommendation is designed to be comprehensive and to give very specific guidance to member states, which also includes stakeholders, so private actors as well. But they’re centred around different themes. So the first is introducing preventive obligations, perhaps in the form of a human rights impact assessment throughout the AI life cycle. So thinking again about these various different points at which bias can enter the system. The second centers around transparency and explainability obligations, and that can reduce power asymmetries which occur between individuals of all different groups who are using AI systems and the providers and deployers of those systems. The third is around public supervision, so how to empower national human rights institutions, equality bodies, and data protection authorities to monitor, test, and prevent discrimination arising, but crucially doing that in dialogue with civil society, with the public as appropriate. And then finally, the recommendations will center around democratic participation in standard setting and public consultations, so how to ensure that the public are armed with sufficient information to be able to participate in those conversations and to really contribute to the future governance regulation of AI. So part two of this lightning talk would be on capacity building programs. So the Council of Europe’s Anti-Discrimination Department has set up training programs looking at the impact of AI on discrimination in partnership with equality bodies and other public institutions. The course supports participants to acquire an initial expertise, so it serves as an opportunity to recall the legal framework of anti-discrimination, which applies also to decisions made in the context of AI systems. There are four different modules, and the course aims to build a general understanding on AI, algorithmic decision making, and its impact on equality and non-discrimination. It introduces standards on AI governance and equality non-discrimination legislation and how that can apply to different types of AI systems. It encourages the participants to reflect on the application of AI in the daily lives of people and the roles of different stakeholders. to respond to situations of discrimination and unequal treatment. And then finally, it motivates further engagement, cooperation and coordination on AI topics between national regulators, public authorities and other stakeholders, in particular civil society. The EU and Council of Europe joint project is giving equality bodies of Belgium, Finland and Portugal technical support to strengthen their administrative capacities on the implications of AI technologies in the operations of public administrations. And that’s just at present. We hope that that programme will grow and continue to involve different member states of the Council of Europe. To summarise what’s involved in that programme, there will be training courses, development and testing of an assessment protocol on claims of discrimination by AI systems, guidelines to engage in national policy discussion on the transposition of European AI standards and finally European events for equality bodies and other regulators. So just to conclude and to echo some of the sentiments which have already been shared, clearly digital development in the future of AI systems is a social good that should benefit all and all groups of society, including those who are at risk of discrimination. And also its positive potential must be adequately harnessed. And I am looking forward to hearing about new initiatives. I think the initiatives which you’ve already heard about have been extremely useful. And so thank you very much for this opportunity.

Xianhong Hu: Thank you so much Charlotte for sharing so important programme work of Council of Europe, which has so much in line with what we are doing at UNESCO and also with this entire dynamic coalition. So I do hope that we can have you for the collaboration with us and to share your work in our future events. Maybe you can also help type the link of those work in the chat so we can have better reference. And let’s keep in touch on this. Thank you again for your participation. read the list, I’m inviting two joint speakers representing the industry company. One is Ms. Jenny Oliveira, Executive Director, Business Development Intelligent Devices Group of Lenovo, and Ms. Delaney Gomez-Jackson, the Language Services Manager of Motorola Mobility. I understand both of you are joining us online from North America. It’s very late, maybe midnight already, and thank you for your huge commitment and participation. Could you please take the floor and share your screen? Thank you. Yes, Delaney, can you share? Sorry, for some reason, unfortunately, my video was working

Janine Oliveira: before, but now it does not seem to be working. So, it could be on your side, but it’s not working,

Xianhong Hu: unfortunately. Yeah, go ahead with your presentation. We hear you perfectly. I’m asking the technician here to check what happened to your video. Please go ahead. Thank you.

Janine Oliveira: Sure. Okay. So, pleasure to be here with everyone so that we can briefly share about our digital inclusion of Endangered Indigenous Languages Initiative. Next. Delaney, next. I did click next on the slides. Can you not see? Okay, there you go. There you go. To help preserve our human heritage and the stories of Indigenous schools. and encourage future generations, Motorola and Lenovo Foundation, we are working to integrate endangered indigenous languages and minority languages into our smartphones. Next. In December 2022, we were honored to participate in the UNESCO event of the Declaration of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages from 2022 to 2032. This UNESCO declaration is an effort to draw global attention to the endangered status of many indigenous and minority languages and mobilize stakeholders to the prevention, revitalization and promotion of these languages. And as a global company focused on smarter technology for all, we developed this initiative in 2021, and we are proud to be pioneers in this area and being the first OEM to include an endangered Amazon language, Ñegatu, in our smartphones. Next. So while major languages are well represented and were well represented, in 2020, we identified a big gap in the representation of indigenous and minority languages in smartphones globally. And we thought that we could help towards bridging some of that gap. We have been working with UNESCO scholars in the field of linguistics, nonprofit organizations, but most importantly with communities that speak minority and endangered indigenous language to include some of them in our products. Over the past years, we have worked on including endangered indigenous and minority languages from Amazon in Brazil, India, the United States, New Zealand and Italy in our smartphones. So because of that, users can now choose to use their Motorola smartphones in Ñegatu, in Kaingang from Latin America, Cherokee from… from North America, Congri and Maori from Asia Pacific, and Latin from Europe. We have also developed a first-time keyboard on Kuvi from India, and now those users are able to type and send messages to their family and friends in their native language.

Delaney Gomez Jackson: Now Delaney. Great. Thank you, Janine. We also published the Hello Indigenous whitepaper in cooperation with UNESCO through the Indigenous Languages on Mobile Partnership. It is an important milestone in this journey as this whitepaper provides technical processes on endangered languages digitization to be shared globally across the industry. With approximately 7,000 endangered languages in this world, we can’t do this work alone. The goal is for us to share our work and best practices with the community and hopefully inspire other companies towards the cause. Last year, we had the privilege of working alongside esteemed scholar Paul Wiedersaat from the Free University of Boson-Bolzano in South Tyrol, Italy, in crafting words in the Latin language to localize our smartphones’ user interface. Before that, Latin’s largest dictionary had 15,000 words. In this initial phase of the Digital Inclusion Project, Latin translators and the professor localized over 200,000 words. According to Professor Paul Wiedersaat, mobile phones are the pencil of the 21st century. He is also a believer that language is the carrier of a culture and that each minority language and each language of the world contributes to making the world richer. In addition to fulfilling the ESG goals of UNESCO, Motorola, and Lenovo Foundation, the Digital Inclusion Initiative allows, through open sourcing its data and corpus, researchers and developers to further contribute towards revitalization. in new areas, including voice, machine translation, AI applications, and others. And we’d like to thank you for listening to our presentation on our Digital Inclusion Initiative. Thank you. Thank you so much, Jenny, for this interesting presentation. It’s so inspiring

Xianhong Hu: to know your huge efforts to make linguistically accessible through your technology. That’s a crucial part of the digital inclusion we are tackling here in the Dynamic Coalition. So now I think we have a couple of minutes for some questions and answers. Whether someone in the room, please take the floor, or someone online, and you can also signal, raise your hand, use that function. So we are still having a few minutes to tackle some questions before we take the picture. Anyone here? Yeah? Don’t be shy. I mean, EuroDIG is an open forum. We are here. Everybody should talk before we leave. So yes, please, sir, go ahead.

Audience: Could you please introduce yourself briefly? Can you hear me? Yes. So this is Esteban Sanz. I’m from the European Commission. So thank you so much for all these presentations and these reports. We make sure that we will take a close look at the European Commission to all these elements that you have put on the table. You know that we are rapidly approaching the WSIS plus 20 review. This will be essentially a UN resolution of the General Assembly. Relatively short, but it would still need to include, at least this is how we feel in the EU, language on digital inclusion and emerging technologies, AI, et cetera. So this is a question or a general comment for the whole panel. What language, what specific elements would you like to see reflected in the WSIS plus 20 resolution related to digital inclusion and the emerging technologies? It has to be succinct, it has to be clear language, priorities,

Xianhong Hu: what would those be for the panelists? Thank you. So, anyone else? Sorry, I lost me a bit. It’s okay. I’m just reinforcing the importance of multilingualism in the contribution to the WSIS plus 20 review. We hope this issue should be further highlighted in the post WSIS 20 process and also enter in the implementation process of a global digital compact. Anyone else? Maybe someone from online? Yichen, anyone online to raise a hand? Or maybe a lady, someone? A comment, some thoughts? Okay. So, we are finishing, right? Okay. So, without further comments from you, I believe that our conversation will be continued even in the following up session starting at 11. UNESCO is having another session focusing on the indicator of internet universality and gender equality. All of you online room can continue to stay. And before that, please allow us to take a hybrid picture. And could everybody come to the front with me? And also, I invite all the participants online, please turn on your camera. So, we take a hybrid inclusive picture. And with your permission, we might use this. for the UNESCO’s website and our social media promotion in the future communication. Yes, please come with me. We quickly take one picture with all of you. Excuse me. Thank you so much. Okay, you can go there. Yes, please come here. Don’t be shy, please come with me. I’m lonely here. And also our online participants. I think our technician are projecting you to the screen. Oh yes, yes, go this. Yes, maybe you stand here to direct us. Okay. Oh yeah, oh yeah, absolutely. Please come to this side to be in the center. Okay, so now it’s in the. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.

Agreement points

Need for inclusive and participatory approach in AI and digital technology development

Speakers

– Onica Makwakwa
– Charlotte Gilmartin
– Shamira Ahmed

Arguments

Need for inclusive AI development

Importance of impact assessments and inclusive sandboxes for AI systems

Need for human rights-centered approach to quantum technology governance

Summary

These speakers emphasize the importance of involving marginalized communities and considering human rights in the development and governance of AI and emerging technologies.

Importance of data collection and measurement for digital inclusion

Speakers

– Onica Makwakwa
– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Xianhong Hu

Arguments

Need for disaggregated data in policy processes related to AI and digital technologies

Importance of segmented, demand-driven data on digital inclusion

Development of indicators and frameworks to measure digital inclusion

Summary

These speakers agree on the crucial role of comprehensive, segmented data collection and measurement in informing and improving digital inclusion policies and initiatives.

Similar viewpoints

These speakers share a focus on the importance of preserving and promoting linguistic diversity and cultural heritage through digital technologies and institutions.

Speakers

– Maria De Brasdefer
– Janine Oliveira
– Delaney Gomez Jackson

Arguments

Libraries as providers of free/low-cost internet access and digital skills training

Integration of endangered indigenous languages into smartphones

Importance of open-sourcing language data for further research and development

Unexpected consensus

Collaboration between public institutions and private sector for digital inclusion

Speakers

– Maria De Brasdefer
– Janine Oliveira
– Delaney Gomez Jackson

Arguments

Importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration on digital inclusion initiatives

Integration of endangered indigenous languages into smartphones

Importance of open-sourcing language data for further research and development

Explanation

While coming from different sectors (libraries and technology companies), these speakers unexpectedly agree on the importance of collaboration between public institutions and private companies to promote digital inclusion and preserve cultural heritage.

Overall assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement include the need for inclusive development of AI and digital technologies, the importance of comprehensive data collection for digital inclusion, and the role of various stakeholders in promoting digital inclusion and preserving cultural heritage.

Consensus level

There is a moderate to high level of consensus among the speakers on these key issues. This consensus suggests a growing recognition of the need for collaborative, data-driven, and inclusive approaches to digital inclusion and emerging technologies across different sectors and stakeholders. The implications of this consensus could lead to more coordinated efforts in policy-making, technology development, and implementation of digital inclusion initiatives.

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

There were no significant disagreements identified among the speakers.

Disagreement level

Low. The speakers presented complementary perspectives on digital inclusion and emerging technologies, focusing on different aspects without contradicting each other. This alignment suggests a general consensus on the importance of inclusive approaches to digital development and governance of emerging technologies.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

These speakers share a focus on the importance of preserving and promoting linguistic diversity and cultural heritage through digital technologies and institutions.

Speakers

– Maria De Brasdefer
– Janine Oliveira
– Delaney Gomez Jackson

Arguments

Libraries as providers of free/low-cost internet access and digital skills training

Integration of endangered indigenous languages into smartphones

Importance of open-sourcing language data for further research and development

Key takeaways

A human rights-centered approach is crucial for governing emerging technologies like quantum computing and AI

Evidence-based and equity-driven policies are needed to ensure digital inclusion for marginalized groups

Disaggregated and demand-driven data is essential for measuring digital inclusion and tailoring initiatives

Libraries play an important role in providing access and digital skills training for underserved communities

Multi-stakeholder collaboration is vital for advancing digital inclusion initiatives

Integrating endangered indigenous languages into digital technologies can help preserve linguistic diversity

Resolutions and action items

Develop policy guidelines for member states on AI, equality and non-discrimination (Council of Europe)

Expand training programs on AI and discrimination for equality bodies

Publish and disseminate policy briefs on quantum technology governance and libraries’ role in digital inclusion

Continue efforts to integrate more endangered languages into smartphone interfaces (Motorola/Lenovo)

Unresolved issues

How to effectively implement human rights-centered governance frameworks for quantum and AI technologies

Best practices for collecting disaggregated data on digital inclusion while protecting privacy

Strategies for scaling up successful local digital inclusion initiatives to the national/global level

Addressing potential environmental impacts of emerging technologies like quantum computing

Suggested compromises

Balancing innovation and regulation in emerging technology governance

Finding ways to leverage private sector data for public good while respecting commercial interests

We need to segment our data and we must collect this in a different way. So first of all, we want to know where is the digitally excluded potentially living. So we want geographical segmentation. Just knowing the data for the national context is not enough.

Speaker

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen

Reason

This comment highlights the importance of granular, segmented data for effectively addressing digital exclusion. It challenges the current approach of broad national-level data collection.

Impact

This shifted the discussion towards more nuanced approaches to data collection and analysis for digital inclusion efforts. It emphasized the need for geographical and demographic specificity in understanding digital divides.

We can’t regulate AI in a vacuum. We need data that reflects lived realities of people, frameworks that elevate human rights, and institutions that listen to those who are affected the most.

Speaker

Onica Makwakwa

Reason

This comment emphasizes the importance of grounding AI regulation in real-world experiences and human rights principles. It challenges technocratic approaches to AI governance.

Impact

This comment deepened the conversation by connecting AI regulation to broader issues of human rights and lived experiences. It highlighted the need for inclusive and participatory approaches to AI governance.

Bias in an AI system is not just a glitch in an otherwise unbiased system, but it’s indeed systemic and inherent in its functioning. And because the sources of bias is not ultimately technological, they can’t be resolved using technology alone.

Speaker

Charlotte Gilmartin

Reason

This insight challenges the common perception of AI bias as a purely technical issue and frames it as a systemic problem requiring broader solutions.

Impact

This comment shifted the discussion towards considering more comprehensive, policy-driven approaches to addressing AI bias, beyond just technical fixes.

Mobile phones are the pencil of the 21st century. He is also a believer that language is the carrier of a culture and that each minority language and each language of the world contributes to making the world richer.

Speaker

Delaney Gomez Jackson (quoting Professor Paul Wiedersaat)

Reason

This metaphor powerfully illustrates the central role of mobile technology in modern communication and highlights the cultural importance of language diversity.

Impact

This comment broadened the discussion to include the cultural dimensions of digital inclusion, particularly the preservation and promotion of minority languages through technology.

Overall assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by emphasizing the need for nuanced, data-driven approaches to digital inclusion that consider geographical and demographic factors. They highlighted the importance of grounding AI regulation in human rights and lived experiences, challenged simplistic views of AI bias, and underscored the cultural significance of language diversity in digital spaces. Overall, these insights pushed the conversation towards more comprehensive, inclusive, and culturally sensitive strategies for addressing digital divides and governing emerging technologies.

How can we improve data collection and segmentation to better understand digital exclusion?

Speaker

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen

Explanation

Better data is crucial for policymakers to address digital inclusion challenges effectively, especially in areas with the greatest need.

How can we develop and implement online service design standards that lower barriers for accessing government services?

Speaker

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen

Explanation

Improved design standards can make online services more accessible and understandable for all users, regardless of their educational background or abilities.

What specific language and elements related to digital inclusion and emerging technologies should be included in the WSIS+20 resolution?

Speaker

Esteban Sanz

Explanation

This input is needed to ensure that digital inclusion and emerging technologies are adequately addressed in the upcoming UN General Assembly resolution.

How can we expand the development of national AI observatories and inclusive measurement coalitions rooted in regional expertise?

Speaker

Onica Makwakwa

Explanation

This approach would help ensure that AI governance is informed by local realities and expertise, rather than relying solely on global benchmarks.

What are effective ways to involve marginalized communities in shaping AI regulations before they are implemented at scale?

Speaker

Onica Makwakwa

Explanation

Inclusive participation is crucial to ensure that AI regulations address the needs and concerns of all affected groups.

How can we further develop and implement human rights impact assessments throughout the AI lifecycle?

Speaker

Charlotte Gilmartin

Explanation

These assessments are important for preventing bias and discrimination in AI systems at various stages of development and deployment.

What strategies can be employed to expand the integration of endangered indigenous languages into more digital technologies?

Speaker

Janine Oliveira and Delaney Gomez Jackson

Explanation

Expanding language integration efforts could help preserve more endangered languages and promote digital inclusion for indigenous communities.