The Global Digital Justice Forum is a dynamic coalition driven by a vision of digital justice. The forum represents a diverse array of civil society stakeholders, including sustainable development organizations, digital rights networks, feminist groups, corporate watchdogs, communication rights campaigners, trade unions and cooperatives. At the heart of the Global Digital Justice Forum lies the promise of reinvigorating international cooperation in response to the transformative shifts in digital technology.
Within the Forum's vision, civil society and social movements are pivotal players in shaping digital policy, from the global to the local level. It believes that a truly equitable, inclusive, and development-oriented digital society is only possible through active participation and agenda-setting by people from all walks of life. The voices of marginalized communities should guide the processes leading to digital justice. To this end, it advocates for a democratized and meaningful form of participation that enables agile, accountable, and people- and planet-centric policies.
The Forum believes that the so-called digital divide underscores a larger development divide. The aspirations of the international community encapsulated in the 2030 Agenda must not be overshadowed or contingent upon digitalization. Instead, any digital policies must aspire to harness the potential of digitalization as a positive force, enhancing the well-being and dignity of all individuals.
Members of the Forum have an impact footprint across South Asia, East Asia, the Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and collaborate with alliances and civil society groups in North America and the European Union. It engages with multilateral, and national level stakeholders as part of its advocacy work, and is currently engaged with the Global Digital Compact process through consultations and trainings.
IT for Change acts as the secretariat of the Global Digital Justice Forum.
Explore the Forum's website for updates here.
Watch this space for updates on the new initiatives IT for Change will be working on, as part of this venture.
Forum Members
- ARTIGO 19 BRASIL
- Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
- Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication
- Campaign of Campaigns
- Data Privacy Brazil
- Derechos Digitales
- Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN)
- DisCO
- EngageMedia
- Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia (Gender Equity: Citizenship, Work and Family)
- ETC Group
- FIAN International
- Global Digital Inclusion Partnership
- Global Policy Forum
- Groupe de Recherche Pour Une Stratégie Économique Alternative (GRESEA)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor (IDEC)
- IT for Change
- Just Net Coalition
- Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE)
- Latin American Information Agency (ALAI)
- Media and Gender Enlightenment Initiative (MEGEIN)
- Nexus Research Co-operative
- Open Knowledge Foundation
- Oxfam
- Public Citizen
- Public Services International (PSI)
- Redes por la Diversidad, Equidad y Sustentabilidad A.C
- Research ICT Africa
- Rhizomatica
- Social Watch
- Transnational Institute (TNI)
- The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO)
- Third World Network
- World Association for Christian Communication (WACC)
Outputs
Global Digital Justice Forum's Input at the Virtual Consultation on Rev. 3 of the Global Digital Compact
August 2024
IT for Change's Merrin Muhammed Ashraf participated in the virtual consultation convened by the co-facilitators of the Global Digital Compact on 22 August 2024 and delivered a statement on Rev 3.0 GDC on behalf of IT for Change and the Global Digital Justice Forum.
Read the full submission here.
Global Digital Justice Forum's rejoinder to the Open Letter by Tech Leaders and Innovators to the United Nations on the Global Digital Compact
August 2024
The Global Digital Justice Forum would like to share its perspective on the Open Letter to the UN from tech community leaders and internet innovators. Register had reported the letter in July. The Letter expresses reservations that the draft text of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) being negotiated by governments may ‘mandate more centralized governance’ that could be ‘detrimental to the world’s economies and societies’….
Read the rejoinder here
Global Digital Justice Forum's Input to Rev 2 of Pact for the Future
July 2024
IT for Change, through the Global Digital Justice Forum, submitted its input to the Co-Facilitators of the Summit of the Future on Rev 2 of the Pact for the Future. In its submission, the Forum flagged four critical areas where Rev 2 needs to intensify concrete commitments…
Read the full input here.
Global Digital Justice Forum's Input at the Virtual Consultation on the Pact for the Future
May 2024
Our Research Assistant, Merrin Muhammed Ashraf, represented IT for Change at a virtual meeting convened by the co-facilitators of the Summit of the Future on 30 May 2024. The goal of the meeting was to hear first-hand from civil society about the UN Civil Society Conference and for a direct exchange of ideas between Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS), civil society and delegations on their priorities for the Pact for the Future…
Read the full input here.
Global Digital Justice Forum's Input at the Virtual Consultation on the Global Digital Compact
May 2024
Our Research Assistant, Merrin Muhammed Ashraf, represented IT for Change and the Global Digital Justice Forum at a virtual meeting convened by the co-facilitators of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) on 21 May 2024. The goal of the meeting was to provide an update on the GDC process while giving stakeholders the opportunity to…
Read the full input here.
Global Digital Justice Forum’s Statement to the Chairperson and Organizers of the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024
May 2024
The Global Digital Justice Forum was invited by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to submit a civil society statement to the Chairperson and organizers of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024, which was held from 27 to 31 May 2024…
Read the full statement here.
Global Digital Justice Forum’s Response to the Joint Questionnaire for CSTD’s 20-Year Review of WSIS Implementation
April 2024
The Global Digital Justice Forum responded to the Joint Questionnaire for CSTD’s 20-year review of the World Summit on Information Society implementation. The submission focused on the fact that instead of the vision of “people-centered, inclusive and development oriented” future, the digital…
Read the full response here
Text Suggestions to the Zero Draft of the Global Digital Compact
April 2024
In response to the Zero Draft released by the co-facilitators of the GDC process, The Global Digital Justice Forum provided text suggestions which emphasize the importance of including the “right of peoples to self-determination” within the digital governance framework…
Read the full response here.
The Global Digital Justice Forum’s Written Input to the Structural Elements of the Global Digital Compact
March 2024
On behalf of the Global Digital Justice Forum, IT for Change submitted written inputs to the structural elements of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) on 8 March 2024.
The input emphasizes the need for an explicit and unequivocal call to global…
Read the full input here.
From WSIS to Now: What Next for Digital Justice
March 2024
The Global Digital Justice Forum, IT for Change, Third World Network, and Association for Progressive Communications organized a Civil Society Strategy Meeting in Penang, Malaysia from 3-5 March 2024. Titled, ‘From WSIS to Now: What Next for Digital Justice?’, this meeting proved to be a crucial gathering of diverse stakeholders determined to address the pressing challenges in the digital landscape.
Learn more about the event here.
The Global Digital Justice Forum's Inputs to the ITU's Open Consultation Process on the WSIS Forum
February 2024
IT for Change and the global Digital Justice Forum responded to the Open Consultation Process on the WSIS Forum organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Our inputs focused on how the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event should address questions of the digital and data divide, in particular the critical role of…
Read the full input here.
The Global Digital Justice Forum’s Statement — Feedback on the Zero Draft of the Pact for the Future with MGoS & Civil Society Representatives
February 2024
On 21 February 2024, Shreeja Sen represented IT for Change and the Global Digital Justice Forum at a virtual consultation, seeking feedback on the Zero draft of the Pact for the Future, which was launched on 26 January 2024. In line with the…
Read the full statement here.
The Global Digital Justice Forum’s Statement to the Co-Facilitators of the Global Digital Compact Process
February 2024
On 13 February 2024, Merrin Muhammed Ashraf represented the Global Digital Justice Forum and IT for Change at a virtual consultation convened by the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental process for drafting a Global Digital Compact, which would be annexed to the Pact for the Future…
Read the full statement here.
Deep Dive Consultation on Accelerating Progress on the SDGs for the Global Digital Compact
June 2023
Amay Korjan (IT for Change) represented the Global Digital Justice Forum at the Global Digital Compact’s ‘Deep Dive Consultation on Accelerating Progress on the SDGs’ on 14 June 2023.
Learn more about the intervention here.
Deep Dive consultation on the Global Digital Commons for the Global Digital Compact
June 2023
On 14 June 2023, Viraj Desai (IT for Change) shared a few comments on governance of digital commons at the deep dive consultation for the Global Digital Compact, on behalf of the Global Digital Justice Forum.
Learn more about the intervention here.
Deep Dive consultation on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies for the Global Digital Compact
May 2023
On behalf of the Global Digital Justice Forum, Merrin Muhammed Ashraf (IT for Change) submitted inputs to the Co-facilitators of Global Digital Compact for the Deep Dive Consultation on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies that was held on 25 May, 2023.
Learn more about the intervention here
Deep Dive Consultation on Human Rights Online for the Global Digital Compact
May 2023
On 8 May 2023, Viraj Desai (IT for Change), representing the Global Digital Justice Forum, shared a few comments on human rights in the digital sphere, on behalf of IT for Change.
Learn more about the intervention here.
Deep Dive Consultation on Data Protection for the Global Digital Compact
April 2023
Viraj Desai (IT for Change) represented the Global Digital Justice Forum at the Global Digital Compact’s “Deep Dive on Data Protection” on 24 April 2023.
Learn more about the intervention here.
Deep Dive Consultation on Internet Governance for the Global Digital Compact
April 2023
Research Consultant Amay Korjan (IT for Change) represented the Global Digital Justice Forum at the Global Digital Compact’s ‘Deep Dive Consultation on Internet Governance’ on 13 April 2023.
Learn more about the input here
Deep Dive consultation on Digital Inclusion and Connectivity for the Global Digital Compact
March 2023
The Global Digital Justice Forum made an input at a Deep Dive consultation on Digital Inclusion and Connectivity for for the Global Digital Compact on 27 March 2023.
Learn more about the input here
Deep Dive Consultation on Directions for the Global Digital Compact
March 2023
The Global Digital justice Forum made an input at a preliminary consultation on the Global Digital Compact on 3 February 2023.
Learn more about the input here
Submission of Inputs for the Global Digital Compact by the Global Digital Justice Forum
April 2023
IT for Change is a part of the Global Digital Justice Forum, which recently submitted an input for the Global Digital Compact (GDC).
The Forum believes that the GDC has the potential to revitalize international cooperation vis-à-vis digital technology. The group is of the opinion that for this opportunity to materialize, the GDC must unequivocally reject the ‘equal footing’ multistakeholder model that has dominated digital cooperation processes, leading to an entrenchment of corporate power. Instead, the GDC must build on WSIS outcomes and set up a new democratic global digital governance framework founded in a human rights-based constitutionalism that acknowledges the legitimate role of governments in digital policymaking.
This submission has been co-constructed by the group through the past several months of dialogue, deliberation, and consultation with several communities in the Global South.
Learn more about the submission here.