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20 Nov 2025

GDRC-WSIS Statement on Revision 1 WSIS+20 Outcome Document

A Crucial Moment: Strengthening Human Rights and Multistakeholder Visions in the WSIS+20 Outcome Document

We, the undersigned, take this opportunity to call upon all stakeholders to intensify their efforts to ensure that the WSIS+20 review consistently and progressively anchors the fundamental importance of human rights in the governance of digital technologies and the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines. 

We acknowledge that the recently published ‘Revision 1 of the WSIS+20 outcome document’ retains commitments aligned with the WSIS vision of a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented Information Society, and upholds the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (op.1).

In particular, we welcome the references to:

  1. Reaffirming the value and principles of multistakeholder engagement (op.3, op.5, op.103, op.117), in line with the NETmundial+10 guidelines for multistakeholder collaboration and consensus-building (op.93);
  2. Anchoring the WSIS in international law, with explicit references to international human rights law, the UN Charter (op. 66, 67, 70, 71, 77) and the UN human rights system, including the important role of the OHCHR (op.69 and para 110);
  3. The Human Rights and Ethical Dimensions of the Information Society section (op.65 to 77), which clarifies the obligations of States and the responsibilities of the private sector to uphold human rights in all aspects of the governance of digital technologies. We propose specific recommendations to strengthen the private sector responsibility framework below.
  4. Addressing digital divides through a human rights and inclusion lens, with emphasis on gender equality and the specific challenges faced by vulnerable groups and diverse communities (op.10, 11, 12, 18, 20, 21, 22, 63);
  5. Upholding the independence and diversity of media, and recognising its essential role in ensuring information integrity and an enabling environment for journalism (op.74).

Preserving these elements is essential, and they must be strengthened to fulfil the WSIS vision. We therefore urge the Co-Facilitators, the Secretariat and UN Member States to ensure that the following commitments are embedded in the final outcome document.

1.   In the Human Rights and Ethical Dimensions of the Information Society Section:

a.  Include explicit language on the prohibition of the use of digital technologies fundamentally incompatible with human rights, in line with the UNGA Resolutions 78/213 (op.20b) and 78/265 (op.5).

b.  Restore the language from the Zero Draft (op.89) providing for safeguards from intrusive surveillance technologies, in accordance with the human rights principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality, including accessible mechanisms of redress and effective remedies available for victims of surveillance-related violations and abuses, as noted in the UNGA Resolution 78/213 (op.16), and consider further strengthening the language in line with UNGA Resolution 75/176 (op.7c) and the UNGA Third Committee Resolution on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of digital technologies (op.19) due for adoption shortly.

c.  Emphasise the duty of the private sector to conduct human rights due diligence of their products in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (Principle 4). 

d.  Require Member States to refrain from interference with the use of technologies such as encryption and anonymity tools and from practices such as the use of Internet shutdowns, unlawful surveillance, and online censorship, including in the context of peaceful assemblies, as specified in the UNGA Resolution 78/213 (op.15 and 18).

e.  Restore the language from op.64 of the Zero Draft emphasising the urgent need to counter and address all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, which occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology, and establish and maintain robust risk mitigation and redress measures.

f.  Strengthen the existing reference to information integrity and democratic processes by referring explicitly to social media and AI-generated or manipulated content and clarifying that responses to online content must be grounded in international human rights law, including the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and non-discrimination, in line with UN Resolution A/RES/78/213 (op.13).

2.   In the Environmental Impacts section: 

a.  Address issues related to resource and water consumption as part of the energy demands of AI systems, and call for global reporting standards on the impacts of AI systems on the environment and demand for energy and resources. 

b.  Restore the language from the Zero Draft (op.52) ​​calling for compliance with the Basel Convention in e-waste management.

3.   In the Artificial Intelligence section:

a.  Acknowledge concerns about the potential negative impact of AI on employment, labour, environment, human rights, and information integrity, in line with op.79 of the Zero Draft, and expand the reference to urge the adoption of a precautionary approach in AI governance throughout the entire technological lifecycle, including data extraction, model training, deployment, and impact.

b.  Recognize that human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected and promoted throughout the life cycle of AI systems and call upon all Member States and, where applicable, other stakeholders to refrain from or cease the use of AI systems that are impossible to operate in compliance with international human rights law or that pose undue risks to the enjoyment of human rights, as specified in the UNGA Resolutions 79/239 (op.1), 78/213 (op.20b) and 78/265 (op.5).

4.   In The development of the WSIS Framework section:

a.  Clarify that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is requested to build on its work mainstreaming human rights throughout the UN system and the implementation of the Action Lines, from the inception of the implementation roadmaps to their facilitation and assessment.

 

As the process moves into its final stage, we recall the recommendations from a cross-stakeholder community statement** on strengthening stakeholder engagement in the WSIS+20 Intergovernmental Phase, which provided a roadmap of actions for the UN and governments to enhance transparency and inclusion, including by hosting parallel consultations, structuring discussions around key questions, and opening intergovernmental proceedings to observation by non-governmental actors, while limiting closed-door negotiations to the final stage.

 

Endnotes

*This is a consensus statement of the Global Digital Rights Coalition for WSIS (GDRC-WSIS). The members of the GDRC-WSIS are Access Now, Association for Progressive Communications (APC), ARTICLE 19, Center for Communication Governance (CCG), CyberPeace Institute, Data Privacy Brasil, Derechos Digitales, Digital Rights Foundation, DW Akademie, the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL), Fact Check West Africa, Fundación Multitudes, Global Forum for Media and Development (GFMD), Global Partners Digital (GPD), Global Network Initiative (GNI), the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), ICT Watch, Media Foundation for West Africa, Paradigm Initiative, Research ICT Africa, STOPAIDS, Tech Global Institute, World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), Weiba Foundation and WITNESS.

** Ten Steps to Strengthen Stakeholder Engagement in the WSIS+20 Intergovernmental Phase