The Global Network Initiative (GNI), the leading multistakeholder forum for accountability, shared learning, and collective advocacy on government and company policies and practices related to technology and human rights, welcomes the Zero Draft of the WSIS+20 Review. The draft is a positive step forward building on the Elements Paper, incorporating key issues raised by civil society, technical community actors, and other stakeholders. We commend its alignment with the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The draft reflects a growing global consensus on the importance of human rights, accountability, multistakeholder governance, and digital inclusion. We highlight the following areas that we believe are critical to defend in the draft and provide recommendations to strengthen the text further to ensure concrete, resourced, and holistic strategies to implement its commitments.
GNI appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the WSIS+20 Zero Draft consultation. We urge the Co-Facilitators to continue leading an open, transparent, and inclusive process and to strengthen the draft’s alignment with international human rights standards and multistakeholder governance principles. As we move toward the WSIS+20 High-Level Meeting in December 2025, we look forward to continued engagement and collaboration to ensure a digital future that is open, inclusive, rights-respecting, and accountable.
About GNI
GNI is a membership organization comprising over 100 academics, civil society organizations, investors, and technology companies. We have members on every populated continent, with nearly one-third based in the majority world. GNI has participated in past consultations part of the World Summit on the Information Society +20 Review Process (WSIS+20), including the Open Consultation Process held in March 2025, the virtual Stakeholder Consultations held in June 2025, and the consultation to the Elements Paper. We are a member of the Global Digital Rights Coalition and endorse the group’s submission to this consultation. We are also a signatory to the cross-stakeholder “five-point plan” and “eight recommendations” for an inclusive WSIS+20 review. We thank the Co-Facilitators and the WSIS Secretariat for continuing to provide opportunities to participate in the consultations and anticipate positive and rights-respecting developments in Internet Governance.