Convening FAQs

1. Who can organize a convening?

Anyone can convene.

We encourage all stakeholders to convene a discussion with your community or a wider audience on the relevant aspects of the DPI Safeguards initiative and to share your insights and learnings with us.

2. 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.

• 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 the DPI Safeguards initiative at Share your insights

Find best practises on Convenings here: Convenings 101

3. 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 Resourceswill provide you with the artifacts needed for the convening.

4. 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.

5. 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.​

6. When should I convene? What are the convening timelines and submissions?

You can convene anytime from now until October 2024. Submissions should be completed before the 15th of each month. It will help us curate, synthesize, and share with working groups in a timely manner for their consideration.

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 Public 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 theResource repository

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 joining 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. It is highly encouraged to host these convenings on your own.

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 insights, you consent as the convener to incorporate them into the Framework development process. Submissions will be curated and distributed among working group members and will be accessible in the DPI Safeguards Resource Hub. Note that individual insights will not be attributed to specific entities. ​

Read the recommended best practices on convenings in Convenings 101.

12. What will happen to my submissions? Will the working group consider my insights?

Your submissions will be reviewed, organized into categories such as issues, suggestions/solutions, Framework components, questions, contextual examples, or others, and shared with the seven working group members at periodic intervals. These inputs will be discussed and integrated into the Framework development process. Following deliberation, the working group will produce three drafts of the Framework between February and December 2024. These drafts are open for feedback. The Framework will be finalized in December 2024.​

​As a convener, you are encouraged to stay engaged and continue providing feedback on the interim drafts.​

13. Who can I contact for more information?​

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

14. Besides the suggested “do’s,” are there any “don'ts” to keep in mind?​

Please read the best practices on convenings here: Convenings 101