54 countries outline support for human-centric approach at the core of standardisation and connectivity

In a joint statement delivered during the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference, 54 countries endeavoured to promote ‘a human rights-based approach to the whole life cycle of telecommunication/ICT technologies – including design, development, deployment, use, and disposal – as part of a human-centric vision of the digital transformation, including in international standard-setting processes’. The countries encouraged the ITU to work with other standard development organisations to develop international technical standards consistent with existing international frameworks on human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also called on the organisation to intensify efforts to make its procedures more transparent and accessible, especially to organisations active on human rights aspects of telecommunications/ICTs.
Among the signatory countries were the 27 EU member states, Australia, Canada, Ghana, Chile, Japan, Rwanda, Switzerland, the UK, and others.