The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is an international civil society network established in 1990, whose mission is to harness the internet for social justice, development, human rights and gender equality. APC has participated in the global IGF since its inception in 2006 and has been a co-convener of multiple regional and national IGFs. We have consistently engaged at the IGF to advance the following as key concerns to be considered in internet governance at national, regional and global levels:
• affordable access for all;
• internet openness;
• free expression and other human rights;
• the free flow of information;
• women’s rights
• development;
• and multistakeholder cooperation, transparency, public participation and accountability.
APC’s engagement with the IGF has included nominations for the MAG, participation as members of the MAG, responding to MAG calls for inputs, supporting the IGF Secretariat, regionalising the IGF process by promoting and organising regional and national internet governance meetings in Latin America and Africa, among other activities. During the IGF itself, we have organised pre-events, workshops and main sessions, provided speakers for workshops and main sessions, launched publications, conducted capacity building, engaged with civil society organisations from the host country, and broadly participated in other initiatives to enhance networking building, knowledge and information sharing related to internet policy.