Informal Multi-stakeholder
Cyber Dialogue
2020 - 2021
Latest Streams
About the Informal Multi-stakeholder Cyber Dialogue
The objective of the Informal Multi-stakeholder Virtual Dialogue Series is to support the ongoing discussions at the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on developments in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) in the context of international security. Taking place in a new virtual format, it is an informal event at the initiative of the multi-stakeholder community and a number of UN member states. The dialogue series is intended to complement the OEWG, but it is not a formal part of the OEWG process.
As a platform for dialogue between non-government organizations (NGOs), technical experts, civil society, the private sector and states, this series of thematic sessions aims to:
Participation in the event is open to all interested stakeholders.
As a platform for dialogue between non-government organizations (NGOs), technical experts, civil society, the private sector and states, this series of thematic sessions aims to:
- Collect non-governmental stakeholder perspectives on the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) pre-draft, and
- Create opportunities for in-depth dialogue between State and NGO communities on the themes of the OEWG.
Participation in the event is open to all interested stakeholders.
OEWG Multi-stakeholder Events
25 Feb 2021 - 13:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Canada
- Global Partnership Digital
- Microsoft
- Women’s International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF) - Research ICT Africa
OEWG Multi-stakeholder exchange
Over the past two years the United Nations Open-ended working group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security (OEWG) has been discussing issues of critical importance to international security and stability. In January this year, the OEWG Chair published the Zero Draft of its mandated Report, based on those important conversations.
Following the success of the Intersessional Multi-Stakeholder Meeting in 2019 and the Informal Multi-Stakeholder Virtual Dialogue Series in December 2020, we want to engage the multi-stakeholder community again to discuss the latest draft. The consultations, taking place on 25th February (8am-Noon EST), will provide an opportunity for non-governmental organizations to highlight their views to government representatives ahead of the next round of discussions, and will focus on each of the six topics that the report touches on.
The discussion will be moderated, but we would love to hear as many voices as possible. Please come ready to voice your views!
We encourage you to register here as soon as possible should you wish to attend.
Following the success of the Intersessional Multi-Stakeholder Meeting in 2019 and the Informal Multi-Stakeholder Virtual Dialogue Series in December 2020, we want to engage the multi-stakeholder community again to discuss the latest draft. The consultations, taking place on 25th February (8am-Noon EST), will provide an opportunity for non-governmental organizations to highlight their views to government representatives ahead of the next round of discussions, and will focus on each of the six topics that the report touches on.
The discussion will be moderated, but we would love to hear as many voices as possible. Please come ready to voice your views!
We encourage you to register here as soon as possible should you wish to attend.
Co-chairs
- Canada
- Global Partnership Digital
- Microsoft
- Women’s International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF) - Research ICT Africa
10 Dec 2020 - 13:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Hungary
- Chile
- Derechos Digitales
Confidence Building Measures
This session will provide an opportunity for the multi-stakeholder community to briefly exchange about the crucial role of existing confidence building measures (CBMs) in the normative framework of cybersecurity and their effectiveness in reducing the risk of misunderstandings and conflict; categories/types of CBMs and significance of UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) in formulating recommendations for CBMs at a global level. Participants can also discuss possible options for adopting additional CBMs at a global level; have an exchange of best practices.
The session will open with presentations and kick-off remarks from co-chair partners. The following discussion will be guided by a set of questions circulated to participants closer to the date.
Presentations by state and non-state co-chairs will address the following topics:
After an open discussion with participants, wrap up and next steps.
The session will open with presentations and kick-off remarks from co-chair partners. The following discussion will be guided by a set of questions circulated to participants closer to the date.
Presentations by state and non-state co-chairs will address the following topics:
- How do regional organizations approach the development in implementation of CBMs at the regional level? What are the fundamental similarities and differences?
- What did OSCE and OAS deliver in terms of CBM implementation and cross-regional information exchanges? Views of non-governmental stakeholders.
- With respect to the draft “CBM” section of the OEWG pre-draft report (points 45-52), are there any notable omissions, or statements with which you disagree? The role of non-state actors, NGOs, tech companies, etc. in the implementation of CBMs, the outreach activity of international organizations towards them.
After an open discussion with participants, wrap up and next steps.
Co-chairs
- Hungary
- Chile
- Derechos Digitales
09 Dec 2020 - 15:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- France
- Egypt
- Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF) - Kaspersky
Regular Institutional Dialogue
The current Open-ended working group (OEWG has provided UN Member States with an open and inclusive forum to discuss international cybersecurity. Identifying regular mechanism to continue dialogue on this subject is an urgent priority and may represent one of its most significant outcomes.
This session will invite discussion and inputs from non-governmental stakeholders on the topic of regular institutional dialogue in the spirit of the OEWG mandate. This includes consideration of different possible types of frameworks and institutional settings in which the international community can continue to address the issue at hands; as well as forms of meaningful participation and dialogue for non-governmental stakeholders within them.
The session will open with kick-off remarks from its co-organisers. Questions will be circulated to participants in advance in order to guide their contribution, to reflect on the current status of this topic within the OEWG but also look to models and examples from other fora. This will be an interactive, dialogue-oriented session. Participants are encouraged to be ready to go beyond prepared remarks and engage in discussion with one another during the session.
This session will invite discussion and inputs from non-governmental stakeholders on the topic of regular institutional dialogue in the spirit of the OEWG mandate. This includes consideration of different possible types of frameworks and institutional settings in which the international community can continue to address the issue at hands; as well as forms of meaningful participation and dialogue for non-governmental stakeholders within them.
The session will open with kick-off remarks from its co-organisers. Questions will be circulated to participants in advance in order to guide their contribution, to reflect on the current status of this topic within the OEWG but also look to models and examples from other fora. This will be an interactive, dialogue-oriented session. Participants are encouraged to be ready to go beyond prepared remarks and engage in discussion with one another during the session.
Co-chairs
- France
- Egypt
- Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF) - Kaspersky
09 Dec 2020 - 13:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF)
- UNIDIR
- Canada
- Chile
Side Event: Gender approaches to cyber security
Building on discussion with the OEWG, as well as the pre-draft report, this meeting will unpack main proposals presented so far and identify actions that are needed to turn those goals into reality.
Participants are encouraged to come prepared to discuss the following:
Participants are encouraged to come prepared to discuss the following:
- Nexus between gender sensitivity and an “open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment”
- Women’s meaningful participation and leadership in cybersecurity governance processes;
- Gender mainstreaming in norm implementation;
- Gender-sensitive capacity-building;
- Gender digital divide.
Co-chairs
- Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom (WILPF)
- UNIDIR
- Canada
- Chile
08 Dec 2020 - 12:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa
- EU Institute for Security Studies
- Research ICT Africa
Cyber policy capacity building agenda
Discussions at the United Nations have largely acknowledged the pressing need for building expertise across a range of cyber diplomatic, policy, legislative and regulatory areas. National government entities and agencies do not always have the adequate capacities – in terms of skills, human resource, and institutional endowment – needed to participate substantially in the ongoing debates or observe emerging norms, rules, and principles on responsible state behaviour, or to achieve gender balance in these processes.
While international partnerships and cooperation are often recognised as a key element in the national or regional cybersecurity strategies or policy frameworks, this aspect has been so far neglected in the international approaches to cyber capacity building. Therefore, the key objective of this session is to identify how can the international community contribute to strengthening national and regional capacities to participate in the international processes on cyber issues? How to implement cyber capacity building efforts that embrace the whole-of-government approach while remaining human-centric? And finally, considering that donor and recipient countries might have different priorities and objectives, how can we ensure a more representative cyber policy capacity building agenda that reflects a broad list of priorities such as norms and international law but also economic growth and human development?
While international partnerships and cooperation are often recognised as a key element in the national or regional cybersecurity strategies or policy frameworks, this aspect has been so far neglected in the international approaches to cyber capacity building. Therefore, the key objective of this session is to identify how can the international community contribute to strengthening national and regional capacities to participate in the international processes on cyber issues? How to implement cyber capacity building efforts that embrace the whole-of-government approach while remaining human-centric? And finally, considering that donor and recipient countries might have different priorities and objectives, how can we ensure a more representative cyber policy capacity building agenda that reflects a broad list of priorities such as norms and international law but also economic growth and human development?
Co-chairs
- Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa
- EU Institute for Security Studies
- Research ICT Africa
08 Dec 2020 - 01:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Australia
- Indonesia
Existing and Emerging Threats
This session will provide an opportunity for the multi-stakeholder community to brief UN Member States on existing and emerging cyber threats, with a focus on those most likely to impact international peace and security.
Presentations will address the following questions:
All views expressed during this session represent the views of the individuals/organisations who express them, not the chairs, sponsors or partners.
The session is open to all – please use the registration form below to register as a participant. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with presenters and Chairs by asking questions and making comments during the Q&A part of the session.
The session will also be live-streamed on this website for those who do not register (with the ability to interact with presenters and other participants via a chat). A recording of the session will be made available on this website for later viewing.
Presentations will address the following questions:
- What cyber/ICT related activities do you assess to be the biggest threat to international peace and security?
- With respect to the draft “Existing and Emerging Threats” section of the OEWG pre-draft report, are there any notable omissions, additions, or statements with which you support or disagree?
All views expressed during this session represent the views of the individuals/organisations who express them, not the chairs, sponsors or partners.
The session is open to all – please use the registration form below to register as a participant. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with presenters and Chairs by asking questions and making comments during the Q&A part of the session.
The session will also be live-streamed on this website for those who do not register (with the ability to interact with presenters and other participants via a chat). A recording of the session will be made available on this website for later viewing.
Co-chairs
- Australia
- Indonesia
07 Dec 2020 - 15:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Canada
- Global Partners Digital (GDP)
- Microsoft
- Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
Rules, Norms and Principles
Current OEWG discussions have so far illustrated that there is widespread agreement that the 11 norms adopted by the UNGA in 2015 require implementation, and that implementation requires greater guidance, including from a wide range of stakeholders.
This session will invite discussion and inputs from both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders on the topic of the UN GGE norms adopted in 2015. It will also be an opportunity to comment on norms guidance text that has been proposed by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders within the context of the OEWG and relevant sections of the OEWG's revised pre-draft and non-paper. Finally, this event will allow discussions on the ways that both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders can support norm implementation.
The session will open with scene-setter presentations from its co-organisers and lead discussants. A set of discussion questions will be circulated to participants in advance in order to guide their contributions and statements. It is envisaged that this will be an interactive, dialogue-oriented session.
This session will invite discussion and inputs from both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders on the topic of the UN GGE norms adopted in 2015. It will also be an opportunity to comment on norms guidance text that has been proposed by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders within the context of the OEWG and relevant sections of the OEWG's revised pre-draft and non-paper. Finally, this event will allow discussions on the ways that both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders can support norm implementation.
The session will open with scene-setter presentations from its co-organisers and lead discussants. A set of discussion questions will be circulated to participants in advance in order to guide their contributions and statements. It is envisaged that this will be an interactive, dialogue-oriented session.
Co-chairs
- Canada
- Global Partners Digital (GDP)
- Microsoft
- Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
04 Dec 2020 - 13:00, UTC
Co-chairs
- Japan
- Oxford University
International Law
The 2013 GGE report stated that international law, and in particular the Charter of the United Nations, is applicable and is essential to maintaining peace and stability and promoting an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment.
The 2015 GGE report offered views on how international law applies to the use of ICTs by States and touched upon State sovereignty, sovereign equality, settlement of disputes by peaceful means and non-intervention; obligations to respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms; application of the UN Charter in its entirety including the inherent right of States to take measures consistent with international law and as recognized in the Charter; the principles of humanity, necessity, proportionality and distinction; obligations regarding internationally wrongful acts. The OEWG and the GGE are continuing to discuss how international law applies in cyberspace.
This session seeks to provide an opportunity for multi-stakeholder participants to discuss the importance of international law in cyberspace, including for non-state actors, and on ways to deepen common understanding on “how” international law applies in cyberspace. Although the OEWG has discussed the section on international law in the draft report, non-governmental participants are welcome to express views on the draft report.
The 2015 GGE report offered views on how international law applies to the use of ICTs by States and touched upon State sovereignty, sovereign equality, settlement of disputes by peaceful means and non-intervention; obligations to respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms; application of the UN Charter in its entirety including the inherent right of States to take measures consistent with international law and as recognized in the Charter; the principles of humanity, necessity, proportionality and distinction; obligations regarding internationally wrongful acts. The OEWG and the GGE are continuing to discuss how international law applies in cyberspace.
This session seeks to provide an opportunity for multi-stakeholder participants to discuss the importance of international law in cyberspace, including for non-state actors, and on ways to deepen common understanding on “how” international law applies in cyberspace. Although the OEWG has discussed the section on international law in the draft report, non-governmental participants are welcome to express views on the draft report.
Co-chairs
- Japan
- Oxford University
Documentation
Regular Institutional Dialogue
Side Event: Gender approaches to cyber security
Making Gender Visible in Digital ICTs and International Security
pdf
•
230 KB
Making Gender Visible in Digital ICTs and International Security, executive summary EN
pdf
•
111 KB
Making Gender Visible in Digital ICTs and International Security, executive summary FR
pdf
•
176 KB
Why gender matters in international cyber security
pdf
•
140 KB
Why gender matters in international cyber security, executive summary
pdf
•
140 KB
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Association for Progressive Communications Submission: “Why Gender Matters in International Cyber Security”
pdf
•
941 KB
The Good Cyber Stories Initiative
link
The Good Cyber Stories Initiative video about the Women in Cyber Fellowship Program
link
UNIDIR’s fact sheet on gender and cyber diplomacy
link
El enfoque de género en la Política Nacional de Ciberseguridad de Chile
pdf
•
295 KB
Chile National Cybersecurity Policy
pdf
•
3.48 MB
Updated Canadian text proposals on 30 November 2020
docx
•
32.9 KB
The gender focus in Chile`s National Cyber Security Policy
pdf
•
282 KB
Cyber policy capacity building agenda
Rules, Norms and Principles
Microsoft’s submission to the OEWG, see norms proposals on p. 4-6
pdf
•
259 KB
Joint civil society statement at First Substantive Session (2019)
link
Joint statement at UN First Committee (2019)
pdf
•
71.2 KB
Joint civil society statement at Second Substantive Session (2020)
link
Joint statement at UN First Committee (2020)
pdf
•
85.1 KB
Joint civil society input on the pre-draft (2020)
pdf
•
142 KB
Joint civil society feedback on norm implementation (2020)
pdf
•
310 KB
Updated norms guidance text with NAM, ROK, UK, FR, CRO, FIN, SLO, AUS, CZ, SIN, EST, JP, KAZ, US (additions 30 November 2020)
docx
•
27.2 KB
Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security
pdf
•
333 KB
ELAC - First Oxford Statement - Healthcare Sector
pdf
•
338 KB
ELAC - Second Oxford Statement - Safeguarding Vaccine Research
pdf
•
254 KB
ELAC - Third Oxford Statement - Foreign Electoral Interference
pdf
•
282 KB
A human-centric approach to international cybernorms: Civil society feedback on the UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs proposals
link
Canada’s implementation of the 2015 GGE norms
pdf
•
397 KB
[CENS-RSIS] Submission to the OEWG Dialogue Series
pdf
•
481 KB
Agenda
pdf
•
646 KB
Critical Infrastructure and Offensive Cyber Operations: An ICT4Peace Call to Governments , ICT4Peace Foundation
pdf
•
196 KB
ICT4Peace Proposed “States Cyber Peer Review Mechanism”
pdf
•
138 KB
ICT4Peace Chairs Pre-draft
pdf
•
132 KB
International Law
United Nations Office for Disarmament
link
Comparison Document on International Law
docx
•
21.2 KB
ELAC - First Oxford Statement - Healthcare Sector
pdf
•
338 KB
ELAC - Second Oxford Statement - Safeguarding Vaccine Research
pdf
•
254 KB
ELAC - Third Oxford Statement - Foreign Electoral Interference
pdf
•
282 KB
Partners
Sponsors
