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

Summary

This discussion was a networking session of the IGF Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality, hosted at EuroDIG and focused on exploring frontier technologies for harnessing public digital goods and sustainable development. The session was moderated by Dr. Xianhong Hu from UNESCO’s Information for All Program and featured presentations from coalition members and stakeholders.

The session began with a video message from Guilherme Canela, UNESCO’s newly appointed director for Digital Inclusion Policy and Transformation, who emphasized the importance of multilateral diplomacy and multi-stakeholder collaboration in addressing information ecosystem challenges. Dr. Hu then presented the Dynamic Coalition’s growth to over 60 members from five continents and outlined UNESCO’s six priority areas including information literacy, multilingualism, and information ethics.

Two major research presentations were showcased. Shamira Ahmed from the Data Economy Policy Hub presented an issue brief on quantum technology governance, advocating for a human rights-based approach to manage the emerging quantum revolution and prevent it from exacerbating existing digital divides. Maria de Brasdefer from IFLA presented upcoming policy recommendations on how libraries can serve as crucial infrastructure for digital inclusion, highlighting their role in providing access, digital literacy training, and community support.

The strategic panel featured four speakers addressing different aspects of digital inclusion. Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen from UN University discussed the need for better segmented data collection and service design standards to identify and serve digitally excluded populations. Onika Makwakwa from the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership emphasized evidence-based, equity-driven approaches to AI governance that center marginalized communities. Charlotte Gilmartin from the Council of Europe presented their work on AI anti-discrimination standards and capacity building programs for equality bodies. Finally, representatives from Motorola and Lenovo shared their initiative to integrate endangered indigenous languages into smartphones, working with UNESCO to preserve linguistic diversity in digital spaces.

The discussion concluded with participants emphasizing the importance of incorporating digital inclusion language into the upcoming WSIS+20 review process and the need for continued multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure emerging technologies benefit all populations equitably.

Keypoints

## Overall Purpose/Goal

This was a networking session of the IGF Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality, hosted by UNESCO and the Council of Europe at EuroDIG. The session aimed to explore frontier technologies for harnessing public digital goods and sustainable development, showcase research outcomes from coalition members, and facilitate strategic discussions among stakeholders about digital inclusion challenges and opportunities.

## Major Discussion Points

– **Quantum Technology Governance and Human Rights**: Presentation of a new policy brief on quantum technologies emphasizing the need for human rights-centered governance frameworks to prevent quantum technologies from exacerbating existing digital divides and inequalities, particularly affecting women and marginalized communities.

– **Libraries as Digital Inclusion Infrastructure**: Discussion of how libraries can serve as crucial partners for governments and organizations in advancing digital inclusion through their global network of 2.8 million libraries, providing access, digital literacy training, and community-based support across six core policy areas.

– **Evidence-Based Measurement and Data Segmentation**: Multiple speakers emphasized the critical need for disaggregated data collection (by gender, geography, age, socioeconomic status) to effectively measure and address digital exclusion, moving beyond simple annual “have you used internet” metrics to more nuanced, actionable data.

– **AI Governance and Inclusive Development**: Presentations on how AI systems can perpetuate bias and discrimination, with discussions of Council of Europe initiatives for AI equality frameworks and the importance of participatory approaches that include marginalized communities in technology design and governance.

– **Indigenous Language Preservation Through Technology**: Industry presentation on Motorola/Lenovo’s initiative to integrate endangered indigenous languages into smartphones, demonstrating how technology companies can contribute to cultural preservation and linguistic digital inclusion.

## Overall Tone

The discussion maintained a collaborative and academic tone throughout, characterized by shared commitment to inclusive digital development. Speakers demonstrated mutual respect and alignment on core principles of human rights-centered technology governance. The tone was professional yet passionate, with participants showing genuine enthusiasm for addressing digital inequalities. The session concluded on a positive, forward-looking note with participants eager to continue collaboration and take a group photo, reinforcing the collegial atmosphere and shared mission of the dynamic coalition.

Speakers

– **Xianhong Hu**: Program specialist at UNESCO, working on the Information for All program, moderator of the session

– **Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi**: Newly appointed director of UNESCO in charge of the Digital Inclusion Policy and Transformation

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

– **Maria De Brasdefer**: Digital Affairs Policy and Advocacy Officer from IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions)

– **Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen**: EGov Advisor and Principal Research Specialist, Research Line Coordinator of United Nations University EGov

– **Onica Makwakwa**: Executive Director of Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, co-founder of the Dynamic Coalition

– **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

– **Audience**: Representative from the European Commission (identified as Esteban Sanz)

**Additional speakers:**

– **Yichen**: Technical support colleague managing Zoom and screen sharing

– **Constance Bollemaire**: Co-author from the Tech and Global Affairs Innovation Hub at Sciences Po in Paris (mentioned but not present)

# IGF Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality – EuroDIG Networking Session Report

## Executive Summary

This networking session of the IGF Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality was hosted at EuroDIG by UNESCO and the Council of Europe. The session, moderated by Xianhong Hu from UNESCO’s Information for All Programme, featured presentations on quantum technology governance, libraries as digital inclusion infrastructure, evidence-based measurement approaches, AI governance frameworks, and indigenous language preservation through technology. The coalition has grown to more than 60 members and continues to focus on evidence-based approaches to digital inclusion policy.

## Session Opening and Coalition Updates

The session opened with a video message from Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi, UNESCO’s newly appointed director in charge of Digital Inclusion Policy and Transformation, who emphasized the importance of multilateral diplomacy and multi-stakeholder collaboration in addressing information ecosystem challenges.

Xianhong Hu, Programme Specialist at UNESCO working on the Information for All programme, served as moderator and presented updates on the Dynamic Coalition’s growth to more than 60 members. He highlighted UNESCO’s six priority areas: information for development, information literacy, multilingualism, information accessibility, information preservation, and information ethics. Hu noted that UNESCO IFAP is celebrating its 25th anniversary next year (2025) and mentioned the recent approval of the UNESCO IFLA Manifesto for School Libraries at a recent IFAP meeting.

## Research Presentations

### Quantum Technology Governance and Human Rights

Shamira Ahmed, Executive Director of the Data Economy Policy Hub, presented research on quantum technology governance co-authored with Constance Bollemaire from Sciences Po. The quantum technology issue brief was launched at EuroDIG and reframes quantum technology as an immediate governance challenge rather than a distant future concern.

Ahmed stated: “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.”

The research identified three major challenges: accessibility gaps that could create a “quantum divide,” governance issues around ethics and security, and diversity problems in the quantum workforce where 70% of quantum companies have no female senior leaders. Ahmed advocated for human rights principles as essential for quantum governance to protect privacy, prevent surveillance abuse, address global inequalities, and ensure ethical use of dual-use technologies.

### Libraries as Digital Inclusion Infrastructure

Maria De Brasdefer, Digital Affairs Policy and Advocacy Officer from IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions), presented upcoming policy recommendations on how libraries can serve as infrastructure for digital inclusion. She highlighted the global library network of 2.8 million libraries staffed by over 1.6 million people and over half a million volunteers that have redefined their role for the digital era.

The policy brief identifies six core areas where libraries can advance digital inclusion: access and affordability, learning capacity development, multi-stakeholder collaboration, trust and safety, information integrity, and AI/emerging technologies. De Brasdefer emphasized that libraries serve as community hubs well-positioned to lead cross-sector collaboration and provide safe spaces for public internet access.

## Panel Presentations

### Evidence-Based Measurement and Data Collection

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen, EGov Advisor and Principal Research Specialist from United Nations University EGov, addressed the need for better segmented data collection to identify digitally excluded populations. He revealed a fundamental challenge: “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.”

Nielsen advocated for moving beyond simple annual metrics to more nuanced data collection that segments populations by geography, gender, age, and socioeconomic factors. He proposed leveraging existing telecommunications infrastructure for more automated data collection while maintaining privacy protections. He also addressed the “second digital divide” – the gap between having access to technology and being able to effectively use online content.

### AI Governance and Equity-Driven Approaches

Onica Makwakwa, Executive Director of Global Digital Inclusion Partnership and co-founder of the Dynamic Coalition, presented equity-driven approaches to AI governance. She stated: “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… there’s a risk that emerging technologies will actually deepen the divides that it could otherwise help us bridge.”

Makwakwa emphasized that inclusion must be the baseline rather than an afterthought, focusing on how people participate in designing and governing future technologies. She advocated for disaggregated data in policy processes and participatory measurement that centers people rather than just infrastructure. She proposed national AI observatories and inclusive measurement coalitions rooted in regional expertise.

### AI Anti-Discrimination Standards

Charlotte Gilmartin, Co-secretary of the Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion from the Council of Europe, presented work on AI anti-discrimination standards and capacity building programmes. She stated: “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.”

Gilmartin outlined the Council of Europe’s development of recommendations centered on preventive obligations, transparency requirements, public supervision, and democratic participation in AI standard-setting. The approach recognizes that comprehensive policy-driven solutions are required rather than technology-only fixes.

### Indigenous Language Preservation Through Technology

Jenny Oliveira, Executive Director of Business Development Intelligent Devices Group at Lenovo, and Delaney Gomez Jackson, Language Services Manager at Motorola Mobility, shared their initiative to integrate endangered indigenous languages into smartphones. Jackson quoted Professor Paul Wiedersaat: “Mobile phones are the pencil of the 21st century… language is the carrier of a culture and that each minority language and each language of the world contributes to making the world richer.”

Their initiative has integrated endangered languages including Ñegatu, Kaingang from Latin America, Cherokee from North America, Congri and Maori from Asia Pacific, and Latin from Europe into smartphones. The work includes developing keyboards for languages like Kuvi and creating technical processes shared globally through UNESCO partnership.

## Discussion and Next Steps

During the discussion, Esteban Sanz from the European Commission raised questions about specific language to be included in the WSIS+20 resolution regarding digital inclusion and emerging technologies. Participants emphasized the importance of incorporating digital inclusion language into the upcoming WSIS+20 review process.

The session concluded with participants taking hybrid pictures and discussion of the coalition’s ongoing work, including a database of members and plans for regular online meetings. The coalition continues to focus on evidence-based approaches to digital inclusion that address both traditional connectivity challenges and emerging technology governance issues.

## Key Outcomes

The session demonstrated the coalition’s evolution from simple connectivity metrics to comprehensive frameworks addressing human rights, cultural preservation, and participatory governance in emerging technologies. The presentations provided concrete examples of how evidence-based research can inform policy development across different sectors, from quantum technology governance to indigenous language preservation.

The integration of emerging technology governance with traditional digital inclusion concerns represents the coalition’s expanded scope, addressing challenges spanning technical innovation, human rights protection, and cultural preservation through multi-stakeholder collaboration.

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

Evidence-based and participatory approaches are essential for digital inclusion measurement

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Need for segmented data collection beyond annual “yes/no” internet usage metrics to identify digitally excluded populations by geography, gender, age, and socioeconomic factors

Evidence-based and equity-driven approaches are essential, with participatory measurement that centers people rather than just infrastructure or innovation capacity

Summary

Both speakers emphasize that current measurement approaches are insufficient and advocate for more detailed, people-centered data collection that goes beyond simple metrics to understand the nuanced experiences of different populations.

Topics

Development | Human rights

Disaggregated data is crucial for understanding and addressing digital divides

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Need for segmented data collection beyond annual “yes/no” internet usage metrics to identify digitally excluded populations by geography, gender, age, and socioeconomic factors

Disaggregated data is required in all policy processes to understand gender, geography, and income-related divides in digital use and harms

Summary

Both speakers stress the importance of breaking down data by demographic categories to understand how different groups experience digital technologies differently and to develop targeted interventions.

Topics

Development | Human rights | Gender rights online

Human rights principles must be central to emerging technology governance

Speakers

– Shamira Ahmed
– Charlotte Gilmartin
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Human rights principles are essential for quantum governance to protect privacy, prevent surveillance abuse, address global inequalities, and ensure ethical use of dual-use technologies

Bias in AI systems is systemic and inherent, not just a technical glitch, requiring comprehensive policy-driven solutions rather than technology-only fixes

AI systems are only as inclusive as the data and decisions behind them, with current systems reflecting deeply unequal foundations

Summary

All three speakers agree that emerging technologies like quantum computing and AI require governance frameworks centered on human rights principles, as technical solutions alone are insufficient to address systemic inequalities and potential harms.

Topics

Human rights | Legal and regulatory

Inclusive participation in technology development and governance is essential

Speakers

– Onica Makwakwa
– Charlotte Gilmartin

Arguments

Inclusion must be the baseline rather than an afterthought, focusing not just on who is online but how people participate in designing and governing future technologies

Council of Europe is developing recommendations centered on preventive obligations, transparency requirements, public supervision, and democratic participation in AI standard-setting

Summary

Both speakers emphasize that meaningful inclusion requires going beyond access to ensure that marginalized communities have direct participation in shaping technology development and governance processes.

Topics

Human rights | Legal and regulatory | Development

Libraries serve as crucial infrastructure for digital inclusion

Speakers

– Maria De Brasdefer
– Xianhong Hu

Arguments

Libraries represent a global network of 2.8 million facilities with 1.6 million staff that have redefined their role for the digital era, providing free internet access and digital skills training

Information for All Program celebrates 25 years with six working groups and 100+ experts addressing information literacy, multilingualism, accessibility, preservation, and ethics

Summary

Both speakers recognize libraries as essential infrastructure for digital inclusion, with UNESCO’s IFAP program and the global library network providing complementary approaches to advancing digital literacy and access.

Topics

Development | Digital access | Sociocultural

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers identify a fundamental problem with current measurement approaches – they are inadequate where they are most needed and focus on technical metrics rather than human-centered outcomes.

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Countries with the greatest digital exclusion challenges often have the weakest data sets, while countries with smaller challenges have better data quality

Global digital and AI indicators miss critical aspects like affordability, access, and agency while focusing too heavily on infrastructure and innovation capacity

Topics

Development | Human rights

Both speakers recognize that emerging technologies face significant diversity and inclusion challenges that require targeted capacity building and governance interventions.

Speakers

– Shamira Ahmed
– Charlotte Gilmartin

Arguments

Major challenges include accessibility gaps, governance issues around ethics and security, and diversity problems in the quantum workforce where 70% of companies have no female senior leaders

Training programs are being implemented to build capacity among equality bodies and public institutions to address AI discrimination

Topics

Human rights | Gender rights online | Capacity development

All three speakers emphasize the importance of multilingual digital inclusion and the need to preserve and support indigenous and minority languages in digital spaces.

Speakers

– Janine Oliveira
– Delaney Gomez Jackson
– Xianhong Hu

Arguments

Major gap exists in representation of indigenous and minority languages in smartphones globally, with Motorola/Lenovo pioneering inclusion of endangered languages like Ñegatu from Amazon

Language digitization work includes developing keyboards for languages like Kuvi and creating technical processes shared globally through UNESCO partnership

Information for All Program celebrates 25 years with six working groups and 100+ experts addressing information literacy, multilingualism, accessibility, preservation, and ethics

Topics

Sociocultural | Multilingualism | Cultural diversity

Unexpected consensus

Industry-academia-international organization collaboration on language preservation

Speakers

– Janine Oliveira
– Delaney Gomez Jackson
– Xianhong Hu

Arguments

Digital inclusion initiative has integrated endangered languages from Brazil, India, US, New Zealand, and Italy into smartphones, allowing users to operate devices in their native languages

Language digitization work includes developing keyboards for languages like Kuvi and creating technical processes shared globally through UNESCO partnership

Dynamic Coalition on Measuring Digital Inclusion has grown to over 60 members from five continents, demonstrating strong demand for evidence-based approaches

Explanation

It is unexpected to see such strong alignment between private technology companies (Motorola/Lenovo) and international organizations (UNESCO) on indigenous language preservation, demonstrating that commercial interests can align with cultural preservation goals.

Topics

Sociocultural | Multilingualism | Cultural diversity

Cross-sector agreement on the inadequacy of current measurement frameworks

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa
– Charlotte Gilmartin

Arguments

Need for segmented data collection beyond annual “yes/no” internet usage metrics to identify digitally excluded populations by geography, gender, age, and socioeconomic factors

Global digital and AI indicators miss critical aspects like affordability, access, and agency while focusing too heavily on infrastructure and innovation capacity

Bias in AI systems is systemic and inherent, not just a technical glitch, requiring comprehensive policy-driven solutions rather than technology-only fixes

Explanation

There is unexpected consensus across different sectors (UN agency, civil society, regional organization) that current measurement and governance approaches are fundamentally flawed and require comprehensive reform rather than incremental improvements.

Topics

Development | Human rights | Legal and regulatory

Overall assessment

Summary

The speakers demonstrate strong consensus on several key issues: the need for evidence-based, participatory approaches to digital inclusion; the importance of human rights-centered governance for emerging technologies; the value of disaggregated data for understanding digital divides; the role of libraries and multilingual inclusion in digital access; and the inadequacy of current measurement frameworks.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with significant implications for digital governance. The agreement spans different sectors (international organizations, civil society, industry, regional bodies) and suggests a shared understanding of fundamental challenges in digital inclusion and technology governance. This consensus provides a strong foundation for collaborative action on developing more inclusive, rights-based approaches to digital transformation and emerging technology governance.

Different viewpoints

Approach to data collection methodology for digital inclusion measurement

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Need for segmented data collection beyond annual “yes/no” internet usage metrics to identify digitally excluded populations by geography, gender, age, and socioeconomic factors

Evidence-based and equity-driven approaches are essential, with participatory measurement that centers people rather than just infrastructure or innovation capacity

Summary

While both speakers agree on the need for better data, Nielsen focuses on technical segmentation using existing infrastructure like telco data and population databases, while Makwakwa emphasizes participatory approaches and policy ethnography that directly involve communities in data collection processes.

Topics

Development | Human rights

Scale and scope of measurement approaches

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Countries with the greatest digital exclusion challenges often have the weakest data sets, while countries with smaller challenges have better data quality

Need for national AI observatories and inclusive measurement coalitions rooted in regional expertise rather than only global benchmarking

Summary

Nielsen advocates for leveraging existing national infrastructure and standardized approaches that can work across different country contexts, while Makwakwa emphasizes the need for regional expertise and local context over standardized global approaches.

Topics

Development | Legal and regulatory

Unexpected differences

Role of existing infrastructure versus community participation in digital inclusion

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Maria De Brasdefer

Arguments

Second digital divide is about understanding online content rather than just technology access, requiring simplified language use and intuitive design logic in government services

Libraries serve as community hubs well-positioned to lead cross-sector collaboration and provide safe spaces for public internet access

Explanation

While both speakers address the second digital divide, Nielsen focuses on technical design solutions and government service optimization, while De Brasdefer emphasizes the role of libraries as community-based intermediaries. This represents an unexpected divergence between top-down technical solutions versus community-based institutional approaches.

Topics

Development | Digital access | Sociocultural

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows remarkable consensus on fundamental principles – the need for human rights-centered approaches, better data collection, and inclusive governance of emerging technologies. The main areas of disagreement center on methodology and implementation approaches rather than core objectives.

Disagreement level

Low to moderate disagreement level with high strategic alignment. Disagreements are primarily methodological rather than philosophical, focusing on whether to emphasize technical/institutional solutions versus participatory/community-based approaches. This suggests strong potential for collaborative implementation that combines different methodological strengths rather than fundamental conflicts that would prevent cooperation.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers identify a fundamental problem with current measurement approaches – they are inadequate where they are most needed and focus on technical metrics rather than human-centered outcomes.

Speakers

– Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen
– Onica Makwakwa

Arguments

Countries with the greatest digital exclusion challenges often have the weakest data sets, while countries with smaller challenges have better data quality

Global digital and AI indicators miss critical aspects like affordability, access, and agency while focusing too heavily on infrastructure and innovation capacity

Topics

Development | Human rights

Both speakers recognize that emerging technologies face significant diversity and inclusion challenges that require targeted capacity building and governance interventions.

Speakers

– Shamira Ahmed
– Charlotte Gilmartin

Arguments

Major challenges include accessibility gaps, governance issues around ethics and security, and diversity problems in the quantum workforce where 70% of companies have no female senior leaders

Training programs are being implemented to build capacity among equality bodies and public institutions to address AI discrimination

Topics

Human rights | Gender rights online | Capacity development

All three speakers emphasize the importance of multilingual digital inclusion and the need to preserve and support indigenous and minority languages in digital spaces.

Speakers

– Janine Oliveira
– Delaney Gomez Jackson
– Xianhong Hu

Arguments

Major gap exists in representation of indigenous and minority languages in smartphones globally, with Motorola/Lenovo pioneering inclusion of endangered languages like Ñegatu from Amazon

Language digitization work includes developing keyboards for languages like Kuvi and creating technical processes shared globally through UNESCO partnership

Information for All Program celebrates 25 years with six working groups and 100+ experts addressing information literacy, multilingualism, accessibility, preservation, and ethics

Topics

Sociocultural | Multilingualism | Cultural diversity

Key takeaways

Evidence-based policy making is crucial for digital inclusion, requiring disaggregated data collection by geography, gender, age, and socioeconomic factors rather than simple annual yes/no internet usage metrics

Quantum technologies require human rights-centered governance frameworks to prevent exacerbating existing inequalities, with particular attention to accessibility gaps and workforce diversity issues

Libraries represent a critical but underutilized infrastructure for digital inclusion, with 2.8 million facilities globally that can serve as community hubs for digital access, skills training, and multi-stakeholder collaboration

AI bias is systemic and inherent rather than a technical glitch, requiring comprehensive policy-driven solutions including preventive obligations, transparency requirements, and democratic participation in standard-setting

Linguistic digital inclusion is essential, with significant gaps in indigenous and minority language representation in digital technologies that can be addressed through industry-academia-UNESCO partnerships

Multi-stakeholder collaboration is fundamental to addressing digital divides, with UNESCO’s Dynamic Coalition demonstrating strong global demand for evidence-based approaches through its 60+ member network

Service design standards and accessibility guidelines can lower barriers for marginalized communities by simplifying language use and creating intuitive interfaces in government and digital services

Resolutions and action items

UNESCO and partners to launch quantum technology governance issue brief at EuroDIG with human rights-based approach

IFLA and UNESCO to publish library policy brief on digital inclusion at upcoming IGF or WSIS events

Dynamic Coalition members to continue regular online meetings and networking at global events including EuroDIG, IGF, and WSIS

Participants encouraged to join Dynamic Coalition by scanning QR code and submitting membership forms

Follow-up collaboration planned between UNESCO Information for All Program and Council of Europe’s anti-discrimination work

Motorola/Lenovo to continue open-sourcing language digitization data and technical processes for broader industry adoption

Development of targeted dissemination and outreach activities for library policy brief including stakeholder exchanges and implementation guidance

Unresolved issues

Specific language and elements to be included in WSIS+20 resolution regarding digital inclusion and emerging technologies raised by European Commission representative but not fully addressed

How to effectively scale evidence-based measurement approaches in countries with the weakest data collection capabilities

Mechanisms for ensuring meaningful participation of marginalized communities in AI governance and technology development processes

Coordination between different international frameworks (Global Digital Compact, WSIS+20, SDGs) for digital inclusion implementation

Resource allocation and funding mechanisms for implementing comprehensive digital inclusion policies at national and local levels

Technical standards and interoperability issues for quantum technology governance across different jurisdictions

Suggested compromises

Balancing innovation promotion with regulation through ‘inclusive sandboxes’ that allow technology testing while ensuring marginalized community input

Combining global benchmarking with regional expertise and local realities in AI governance frameworks

Leveraging existing telecommunications infrastructure and regulatory requirements for more automated data collection while maintaining privacy protections

Using multi-stakeholder approaches that accommodate different perspectives while producing actionable content for policy makers

Integrating human rights principles into quantum technology development to balance competitive advantage with equitable access

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.

Speaker

Shamira Ahmed

Reason

This comment is insightful because it reframes quantum technology not as a distant future concept but as an immediate governance challenge built on current digital infrastructure. It connects emerging quantum technologies directly to existing internet governance frameworks, making the abstract concept tangible and urgent for policymakers.

Impact

This comment established the foundation for discussing quantum technology as a human rights issue rather than just a technical advancement. It shifted the conversation from theoretical possibilities to practical governance needs, setting up the framework for discussing accessibility, equity, and human rights implications of quantum technologies.

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.

Speaker

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen

Reason

This observation reveals a fundamental paradox in digital inclusion measurement – those who most need granular data to address exclusion have the least capacity to collect it. This insight challenges conventional approaches to data collection and highlights systemic inequalities in measurement capabilities.

Impact

This comment deepened the discussion by exposing the circular nature of digital exclusion – poor data leads to poor policy targeting, which perpetuates exclusion. It prompted consideration of alternative data collection methods, including the innovative suggestion to partner with telecommunications companies for more automated, segmented data collection.

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… there’s a risk that emerging technologies will actually deepen the divides that it could otherwise help us bridge.

Speaker

Onica Makwakwa

Reason

This comment cuts to the heart of the AI inclusion challenge by identifying that the problem isn’t just technological but fundamentally about the inequitable data and decision-making processes that inform AI systems. It reframes AI from a solution to potentially part of the problem.

Impact

This insight shifted the conversation from viewing AI as an inherently beneficial technology to recognizing it as a system that can amplify existing inequalities. It led to discussions about the need for participatory approaches, local collaboration, and the importance of including marginalized voices in AI governance from the design stage.

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 comment is profound because it challenges the common misconception that AI bias is a technical problem with technical solutions. By identifying bias as systemic and inherent, it reframes the entire approach to AI governance from technical fixes to comprehensive policy interventions.

Impact

This observation fundamentally changed the framing of AI governance discussion from technical debugging to systemic policy reform. It supported and reinforced Onica’s earlier point about AI potentially deepening divides, and led to discussion of preventive obligations, transparency requirements, and the need for human rights impact assessments throughout the AI lifecycle.

Mobile phones are the pencil of the 21st century… 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 is powerful because it reframes mobile technology from a luxury item to a basic tool for cultural expression and preservation. It connects digital inclusion directly to cultural diversity and human heritage, elevating the stakes beyond mere connectivity to cultural survival.

Impact

This comment broadened the scope of digital inclusion beyond connectivity and skills to encompass cultural preservation and linguistic diversity. It demonstrated how private sector initiatives can contribute to UNESCO’s goals for indigenous language preservation, showing practical implementation of inclusive technology design.

Overall assessment

These key comments collectively transformed the discussion from a technical focus on digital access to a more nuanced understanding of digital inclusion as a complex socio-political challenge. The conversation evolved through several critical reframings: quantum technology as an immediate governance issue rather than future speculation; data collection paradoxes that perpetuate exclusion; AI as potentially amplifying rather than solving inequality; bias as systemic rather than technical; and mobile technology as cultural preservation tools. Together, these insights created a comprehensive framework that connected emerging technologies, human rights, cultural preservation, and systemic inequality, demonstrating how thoughtful commentary can elevate a technical discussion to address fundamental questions of equity and justice in the digital age.

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

Speaker

Esteban Sanz (European Commission)

Explanation

This is a direct policy question about upcoming UN resolution language that needs to be succinct and clear, addressing priorities for digital inclusion and emerging technologies in the post-WSIS 20 process

How can quantum technologies be governed with a human rights-based approach while balancing innovation and regulation?

Speaker

Shamira Ahmed (implied through presentation)

Explanation

The presentation highlighted the need for human rights-centered quantum governance but left open questions about practical implementation mechanisms and regulatory frameworks

How can the emerging quantum divide be prevented from replicating existing digital divides?

Speaker

Shamira Ahmed

Explanation

The research identified quantum divide as an emerging issue but requires further investigation into specific prevention strategies and equitable access mechanisms

How can telco industry data be effectively utilized for measuring digital inclusion while protecting privacy?

Speaker

Morten Meyerhoff Nielsen

Explanation

The speaker suggested using telco data for better segmented measurement but the privacy implications and practical implementation details need further exploration

How can national AI observatories and inclusive measurement coalitions be established based on regional expertise?

Speaker

Onica Makwakwa

Explanation

This was proposed as a solution but requires further research into implementation models, funding mechanisms, and governance structures

How can marginalized communities be given direct say in shaping AI rules before large-scale rollout?

Speaker

Onica Makwakwa

Explanation

The concept of inclusive sandboxes and impact assessments was mentioned but needs further development of practical methodologies and frameworks

How can the positive potential of AI systems for promoting equality be adequately harnessed while preventing discrimination risks?

Speaker

Charlotte Gilmartin

Explanation

The Council of Europe work identified this challenge but ongoing research is needed on specific implementation strategies and policy mechanisms

How can the technical processes for endangered language digitization be scaled across the industry?

Speaker

Janine Oliveira and Delaney Gomez Jackson (implied)

Explanation

While they shared their whitepaper and processes, the challenge of industry-wide adoption and scaling to 7,000 endangered languages requires further research and collaboration strategies