As part of the WSIS+20 High-Level Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland from 7 to 11 July 2025, the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) organized and contributed to sessions focused on global digital governance, multistakeholder cooperation, and the integration of human rights in AI standard-setting. These sessions formed part of the FOC’s ongoing work under the 2025 Program of Action, to ensure human rights remain at the center of the design, use, and governance of digital technologies and the Internet, and to protecting and advancing the multistakeholder approach. Summaries and recordings of both sessions are provided below.
Global Digital Governance & Multistakeholder Cooperation for WSIS+20
The roundtable “Global Digital Governance & Multistakeholder Cooperation for WSIS+20” took place as part of the WSIS+20 High‑Level Event on 10 July 2025. Moderated by H.E. Ernst Noorman, Ambassador at Large for Cyber Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the roundtable included opening remarks by Rasmus Lumi, Director General, International Organisations and Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Estonia, and featured speakers Gitanjali Sah, Strategy and Policy Coordination, ITU; Thibaut Kleiner, Director for Policy, Strategy and Outreach DG CNECT, European Commission; Isabel Ebert, Adviser Business, Human Rights and Tech, OHCHR; Jan Gerlach, Public Policy Director, Wikimedia Foundation; and Dan York, Chief of Staff, ISOC.
Speakers reaffirmed the multistakeholder Internet governance model as vital to WSIS Action Lines C10 and C11, especially amid rising threats of exclusion and state-centric control. They called for robust, rights-based frameworks for AI governance, embedding transparency, accountability, and human rights into design and deployment. Civil society was reframed not only as participants but as builders of digital public goods (e.g. Wikipedia), whose content underpins AI systems; thus it needs protection, institutional support, and funding. The discussion also addressed deepening digital divides, with around 2.6 billion people still offline, warning that AI risks exacerbating these gaps. Speakers agreed on the importance of preserving open standards and protocols, and strengthening coordination across forums like the IGF, Global Digital Compact, and Open‑Ended Working Group to avoid duplication and ensure inclusive digital cooperation.To view the full recording of the session, click here.
Embedding Human Rights in AI Standards: From Principles to Practice
The session “Embedding Human Rights in AI Standards: From Principles to Practice” was held on 10 July as part of the WSIS+20 High‑Level Event. Moderated by H.E. Ernst Noorman, Ambassador at Large for Cyber Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the session featured high‑profile speakers including Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary‑General, ITU; Peggy Hicks, Director of Thematic Engagement, OHCHR; Karen McCabe, Senior Director of Technology Policy, IEEE; Caitlin Kraft-Buchman, CEO & Founder, Women at the Table; and Dr. Florian Ostmann, Director of AI Governance and Regulatory Innovation, Alan Turing Institute.
The panel explored how technical standards for AI, as part of critical digital infrastructure, can either safeguard or threaten human rights, such as dignity, privacy, equality, and non‑discrimination, depending on how they are designed and implemented. Speakers emphasized the dual potential of AI and urged the embedding of human rights at the core of standard‑setting processes, echoing calls from the UN Global Digital Compact and the Freedom Online Coalition. The discussion highlighted the need for interoperable, rights-based AI standards, and advocated a shift from abstract principles to concrete tools: including multi‑stakeholder governance mechanisms, harm assessments, transparent oversight, and accountability throughout the AI lifecycle.To view the full recording of the session, click here.
