❓Convening FAQs

1. Who can organize a convening?

Anyone can convene.

We encourage all stakeholders to convene a discussion with your community on a specific element of DPI in your country, or a wider audience on the relevant aspects of the DPI Safeguards initiative at a high level. These convenings unlock insights for you and your community to take collective actions and we would like to learn about your insights and learnings with us.

2. What should I convene about?

The Framework (version 1.0) is an open public asset and comprises principles, process and practice recommendations to be employed by various responsible authorities within the DPI ecosystem to mitigate risks to safety and inclusivity. Risks are specified in relation to each stage of the DPI life cycle and are also addressed by upholding foundational and operational principles for safe and inclusive DPI.

The focus of convenings are either to

• educate and advocate for safeguards within a community.

• explore how to adopt them in a country context.

• capture learnings from discussions and adoption of the safeguards and share them with the initiatives.

3. I have never convened before? What is my role as a convener?

As a convener-host, your role is to

• Define the purpose and objectives of the convening.

• Scan the network: Identify and invite relevant ecosystem stakeholders (Responsible Authorities). You can design it to be a single stakeholder or multi-stakeholder convening, guided by the purpose and objectives and the context of the DPI system and the country/region.

• Plan and Convene: Set a date, design an agenda and host a discussion that encourages different viewpoints.

• Generate Insights: Summarize the discussions, extract relevant insights, and share these learnings with your community. If it is a country specific convening – socialize with other responsible authorities in the ecosystem, generate dialogue, build consensus, and create opportunities to advance safe and inclusive implementations.

Do share your insights with us, so we can learn and adapt the framework to the emerging needs

4. What should the agenda be? Who should participate?

Convenors are free to set the agenda of the convening. They are welcome to invite participants whom they believe would offer valuable contributions to the DPI Safeguards initiative. Convenings can be small with 4-5 people, or a large one, depending on your ability to plan and execute.​

While we have prepared some ideas for an agenda, we strongly encourage you to contextualize it to fit the context of your community and their shared purpose.

The Convening Resources will provide you with the artifacts needed for the convening.

5. Should these convenings be in person or online?

As a convener, you are encouraged to choose the format which works best for your community, purpose, and budget.

6. Should I run an open call for participants or create a curated list?

As a convener, choose the format best suited to your needs. Based on the purpose of the convening, you may decide if an open call is more appropriate or a curated list of participants. An open call is likely to attract a diverse array of participants. Meanwhile, a curated list allows you to target and approach a circle of experts with specialized knowledge.​

7. I want to enlist the help of the DPI Safeguards team in publicizing the convening. Can I do that?​

Convenors are encouraged to write to [e-mail] at least five to two weeks prior to hosting a convening so we can add the event to the calendar.

8. Is there a list of suggested readings for this initiative that can be shared with participants?

There is a rich repository of publications and research available in the Interim Report and The Universal Digital Public Infrastructure Safeguards Framework and A Guide to Building Safe and Inclusive DPI for Societies

9. Will someone from the United Nations attend the convening to share a keynote presentation or to provide context?

Team members from the DPI Safeguards Initiative are open to attending your convening. However, their availability depends on the scheduling constraints of the initiative’s programme team.

Please contact [e-mail] at least five weeks prior to your convening with details about your organization, community, convening details, and the support required. If you are looking for a country adoption convening or support, fill the form here

10. What should I do with the viewpoints once I have convened? How should I submit my inputs?

Please upload your insights here: Share your insights

11. Are my submissions confidential?

By submitting your convening insights, you consent as the convener to allow us to curate, incorporate them into the Framework development process and showcase in the website or the hub. Note that individual insights will not be attributed to specific entities. ​

12. Who can I contact for more information?​

For questions, feedback, or clarifications, please write to [e-mail].