Join us in shaping the Universal DPI Safeguards, an important initiative dedicated to building safe and inclusive societies that harness the positive potential of digital technologies. You can contribute to this valuable process by convening interested stakeholders in your community and contributing to the development of the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework or adopting safeguards in your country/region.
We’re ready and eager to listen, learn, and actively build on your inputs and experiences.
We invite governments, civil society, private sector and anyone who recognizes themselves as responsible authorities to help develop or adopt the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework by bringing the voices of your communities through convenings. Whether it is a group of respected individuals in a country or a coalition of stakeholders such as state entities, government agencies, multilateral organizations, civil society, funders, or the private sector, your active participation is highly welcome.
Digital technologies provide new means to exercise human rights. Yet, they also pose inherent risks in their interactions with society's political, economic, and socio-cultural underpinnings. The Universal DPI Safeguards initiative places an emphasis on promoting human dignity and agency in an era of digital interdependence, closely aligning with the mission of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative seeks to establish the guardrails within which digital technologies can serve the public good.
To ensure we meet these objectives, we are creating an open space for collaboration through convenings. Your insights and contributions will shape the development of the Framework, adoption of the framework in countries, ensuring it is truly inclusive, adaptable, relevant, and representative of diverse contexts and concerns from around the world. Don't miss this opportunity to join the conversation and drive meaningful change.
The end goal is for safeguards to be adopted in countries through implementation of the process, practise or principles recommendations in the Framework to address a broad spectrum of risks to individuals. The Framework is rooted in the International Human Rights framework and the goals of the global community, specifically the SDGs and the Roadmap for Digital Cooperation.
The Framework will aid in understanding the 'as-is' (capture issues of safety and inclusion ) or status quo and planning for the 'to-be’ (formal mechanism to and how to mitigate them) by using the resources available in Toolkits & Resources.
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 dpi-safeguards@un.org 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 dpi-safeguards@un.org 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 dpi-safeguards@un.org.
Webinar: What's next: driving adoption of the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework
Virtual: Register Here
06 November 2024
World Bank Annual Meeting
Washington DC, USA
25-27 October 2024
DPGA, Annual Members meeting
Singapore
13-15 November 2024
Transform Africa Summit
TBD
TBD
2025 Global Forum on AI and Digital Transformation
in the Public Sector
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
12-13 February 2025
Rights Con 25
Taipei, Taiwan
24-27 February 2025
The initiative will continue to curate feedback to build additional processes and practices, KPIs and lessons learned through expert and practitioner contributions.The initiative will continue to engage the ecosystem by creating awareness through campaigns (success stories, testimonials, and case studies), workshops and contribution calls. Public feedback will be sought through online forums and open webinars. Special emphasis will be laid on under represented groups. This feedback will be systematically reviewed and integrated to ensure the Framework addresses diverse perspectives and needs.
To read and provide comments on the latest guide, please click here
Contribute to the framework through our submission form.
Join the community by sharing your stories, experiences, or case studies that highlight progress toward safety and inclusion goals.
Participate in community convenings to provide feedback, share insights, and engage with others working on advancing DPI safeguards.
Use the convening toolkit to organize your own events around these themes.
We invite implementers to share their experiences and insights from applying the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework. Whether you've encountered challenges or achieved successes, your story can help others navigate their own journeys. By sharing your case studies, practices, or lessons learned, you contribute to a growing knowledge base that strengthens future implementations.
Please fill out the form below to share your story with the community.
Here you will find a few key assets that will help you run a successful convening on safeguards for DPI.
Please see:
2. A short list of guiding questions that can be used to frame your convenings
Please see: Guiding Questions