About us
Recognizing that the role of these organisations can be catalytic for DPI governance, but is often overlooked, this initiative empowers subject matter experts and network leaders to shape DPI’s design and deployment by investing in the capacity of public-interest actors
Why is this necessary?
Public interest actors, especially media organisations, rights advocacy organisations and other civil society organisations (CSOs) have a crucial role to play in the design and deployment of digital public infrastructure. Yet, their pathways to engage with the DPI design process have often been riddled with capacity constraints and a missing enabling environment that engages with their contributions.
A survey with more than 20 organisations engaged directly or indirectly with the DPI governance process indicates that CSOs still feel short-sighted in their abilities to understand DPI’s technical aspects, with many more indicating that there are few institutionalised spaces for them to engage with the government on DPI governance issues.
Recognizing that the role of these organisations can be catalytic for DPI governance, but is often overlooked, this initiative empowers subject matter experts and network leaders to shape DPI’s design and deployment by investing in the capacity of public-interest actors
We work on developing three broad competencies of public-interest actors
Identify social, political, cultural and economic risks associated with DPI implementation in a given context
Engage constructively with relevant stakeholders towards addressing specific risks
Embed themselves in the policy design process for DPI governance
This mission is guided by core principles
Shared values
Resources and toolkits developed through this ecosystem are expected to be informed by shared values and principles of stakeholders involved in governance, especially those of civil society organisations. Guided by a needs-mapping exercise, this prevents one version of governance from becoming the norm. This tenet also addresses the value of a localized, rather than a universal or a western, view on the governance guiding the development of resources. For us, this means working with both – trusted partners who identify and design effective capacity supports, and those who can help us deliver the co-designed resources to influential stakeholders in specific national contexts.
Dynamic capacity
interventions
The ‘capacity’ we speak of is meant to be developed and embedded dynamically. This means that while the public sector bears the responsibility of governing in the public interest and making space for other actors, civil society also shares the responsibility for constructive participation and accountability. The resources developed are accordingly meant to engage stakeholders both within and across country contexts, towards engaging in constructive and effective discourse about DPI’s governance.
Bias for action
Our focus is on action. We believe that this initiative will only succeed if the envisioned resources engage with willing participants, in opportune contexts. This rests on our understanding that governance for inclusion and safety in digital societies through different means – regulation, or public participation – rests on the culture of public engagement that precedes digital interventions in societies. Focusing on action translates into working with trusted partners in different stakeholder ecosystems.
Who
we are
