GFMD’s engagement on the World Summit on Information Society +20 Review Process

23. October 2025

About WSIS+20 Review

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a United Nations-led, multi-stakeholder process established in 1999 to address key questions around internet governance and the development of inclusive digital societies.

Independent journalism and public interest media are essential actors within this framework. The WSIS 20-year Review, concluding in mid-December 2025, provides a critical opportunity to ensure that journalism remains a pillar of democratic digital ecosystems.

Get involved

Below are some suggested ways for governments and civil societies to get involved:

GFMD Engagement in detail

GFMD Inputs to Rev. 2 WSIS+20 Outcome Document – December 2025

At this final stage of the WSIS+20 Review process, in its inputs to Revision 2 of the WSIS+20 Outcome Document, the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) reiterates its strong support for the commitments and acknowledgements related to media independence, the safety of journalists, and the call to strengthen stakeholder support for media outlets, media workers, and an enabling environment in which journalists can operate freely and without harassment (para. 76).

Similar to previous submissions, GFMD strongly recommends to reinforce the text by ensuring stronger safeguards against surveillance and intrusive technologies (op.73); introducing clear, mandatory human rights due diligence for digital technologies (op.69); reinforcing accountability for technology companies, including transparency around algorithms and data practices (op.69); and guaranteeing explicit protection of encryption and anonymity for journalists (op.76).

The Revision 1 of the WSIS+20 Outcome document and GFMD Inputs to Rev. 1 WSIS+20 Outcome Document – November 2025

On November 7, 2025, the Revision 1 of the WSIS+20 Outcome document was published. With the adoption set for the end of the year, GFMD has welcomed the stronger recognition of independent and diverse media as essential to strengthening information integrity and ensuring access to information (op.74.). Based on the current Rev.1, GFMD calls to preserve:

Human rights as the basis of WSIS.
Protection of journalists, media independence, and source protection.
Multistakeholder participation and WSIS/IGF continuity.
Open, global Internet and free flow of information.

GFMD believes that it is also crucial to reinforce specific elements of the current text, such as:

Stronger safeguards against surveillance and intrusive technologies (op.71)
Clear human rights due diligence for digital technologies and platforms (op.67–68)
Accountability for tech companies, including algorithms and data practices (op.68, op.75)
Explicit protection of encryption and anonymity for journalists (op.74)

The Zero Draft and GFMD’s Submission to the WSIS+20 Zero Draft Consultation

Building on contributions to the Elements Paper, the Zero Draft released in August 2025 incorporated many of GFMD’s key priorities. In the consultations on the Zero Draft, GFMD and its network called for the preservation of crucial language, in particular:

Human rights as the foundation of WSIS (paras. 77–93)
Protection of journalists and media independence (para. 90)
Multistakeholder nature of WSIS and IGF permanence (paras. 3, 115, 120)
Recognition of open, global internet and digital public infrastructure (paras. 20, 104, 106).

In our submission sent in October 2025, we proposed targeted improvements to:

Preserving references to media independence and journalist safety, urging states to ensure secure communication and source protection
Expanding coverage to include digital surveillance and state restraint in using intrusive technologies
Strengthening human rights safeguards and platform accountability mechanisms

GFMD’s Contributions to the Elements Paper consultations

The Elements Paper (June 2025) outlined key themes and priorities drawn from preparatory discussions and stakeholder consultations. It prepared a structure for the future drafts leading to the WSIS Outcome Document, expected for December 2025.

GFMD’s contribution to the Elements Paper consultation had several goals in mind:

Secure strong language on media independence and journalist protection within human rights sections
Add references to digital surveillance, encryption, and source protection as key elements of journalist safety
Advocate for platform accountability and transparency as essential to trustworthy information ecosystems
Promote investment in public interest digital infrastructure and recognition of media as part of digital public goods
Expand human rights safeguards and accountability frameworks for both states and private actors (tech platforms).

A one-page position by the Dynamic Coalition on the Sustainability of Journalism and News Media was also added to the joint submission of several Dynamic Coalitions of the Internet Governance Forum.

GFMD’s position for the WSIS+20 Review

Since the outset, GFMD has advocated for the WSIS+20 Review to reaffirm a transparent, inclusive, and human rights-based approach to digital governance.

GFMD Advocacy Position defines three core priorities:

Fostering a multistakeholder Internet Governance and Human Rights-based approach, with civil society and media fully included in the process
Preserving Action Line C9 as a core component of the WSIS mandate, highlighting media as indispensable for democracy, public accountability, and information integrity
Integrating media perspectives across WSIS action lines, from infrastructure to ethics, ensuring media viability and journalist safety are reflected in all areas of digital governance.

Key Events to Amplify Our Voice

Internet Governance Forum, Oslo: an opportunity to reiterate the need for platform accountability, support for public interest media, and holistic approaches to media viability in the digital age.
WSIS High-Level Event: examined how digital infrastructure and governance can sustain credible journalism, enhance media resilience, and promote democratic participation.

Joining the Global Digital Rights Coalition for WSIS

In April 2025, GFMD joined the Global Digital Rights Coalition for WSIS (GDRC-WSIS) — a collective of civil society organisations from the Global Majority and Global North working to advance human rights and multistakeholderism in the WSIS+20 review.

The GDRC-WSIS is working to achieve the following priorities:

Promote a human rights-based, people-centric, sustainable, and development-oriented approach to the WSIS+20 review
Advance the multi-stakeholder approach to global Internet governance and digital policy processes
Strengthen the WSIS vision and its institutions like the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

GFMD Policy Meetings on the WSIS+20 Review

Building on the momentum after the Summit of the Future, and the adoption of the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, GFMD introduced the upcoming WSIS+20 process through a series of policy meetings with members and partners in November 2024 and March 2025.

These meetings helped identify shared priorities and shape a collective position for the media sector in preparation for the WSIS+20 Review Process. Read more in related issues of the MediaDev Insider newsletter:

Let us know how we can support your advocacy. If you’re passionate about these goals, we invite you to explore more about the WSIS+20 Review process in our dedicated resource centre. To collaborate or support our advocacy work, please reach out to us at advocacy@gfmd.info