On November 14, 2025, youth representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region delivered a compelling intervention at the WSIS+20 stakeholder consultations on Revision 1, emphasizing the need to move beyond recognition of youth as stakeholders toward meaningful, structural inclusion in digital governance.
On behalf of the Asia Pacific Youth Internet Governance Forum and NetMission.Asia, Socheata Sokhachan and Ankita Rathi brought forward the perspectives of APAC youth who have actively contributed to the WSIS+20 Review process. Their intervention underscored that while Revision 1 reflects encouraging progress, such as acknowledging youth as stakeholders and recognizing Youth IGFs as part of the broader IGF ecosystem, concrete mechanisms are still needed to make this recognition operational.
Youth as Active Partners in Governance
Ankita Rathi acknowledged the progress reflected in Revision 1, including the recognition of youth in paragraphs 3 and 117 and the acknowledgment of National, Regional, and Youth IGFs in paragraph 96. She welcomed the decision in paragraph 98 to make the Internet Governance Forum a permanent UN forum. However, Ankita emphasized that recognition alone is not enough. Youth participation must go beyond acknowledgment.
“Youth are already building the systems, norms, and cultures that define the Internet. We are ready to work alongside all stakeholders as capable partners committed to collective responsibility, collaboration, and accountability.”
She urged that upcoming revisions include provisions to (1) institutionalize youth delegate roles and (2) provide dedicated support and resources for Youth IGFs, as well as youth-led research and innovation initiatives.
Ensuring Equity and Inclusion Across the Region
Socheata Sokhachan made it clear that closing digital divides and ensuring technology governance is truly equitable, accountable, and responsive is non-negotiable. She insisted that Revision 1 must go further and explicitly commit to:
- Recognition of Pacific Island nations and conflict zones in paragraph 20, ensuring connectivity challenges in the most vulnerable geographies are not overlooked.
- Linguistic accessibility through Internationalized Domain Names and Universal Acceptance (paragraph 27), guaranteeing cultural and linguistic inclusion online is an ongoing priority, not an afterthought.
- Broader inclusion in AI research and governance (paragraphs 82–84), addressing language diversity, Indigenous knowledge systems, and the fair distribution of development programs.
- Youth-focused capacity building and engagement in monitoring and advocacy for sustainable digital practices, including independent environmental impact assessment frameworks (paragraphs 41 and 45), so that young people can actively contribute to a future that is both responsible and sustainable.
A Call for Structural Youth Participation
The interventions of Socheata Sokhachan and Ankita Rathi reflect the shared vision of Asia-Pacific youth: Youth are not merely consultees but co-creators of digital systems and governance frameworks. The APAC youth message was clear: recognition alone is not enough.
Youth participation must be backed by concrete, resourced, and institutionalized mechanisms to ensure meaningful participation in a digital governance ecosystem that is intergenerational, equitable, and accountable, where youth are empowered to help shape a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable digital future.
To learn more about our interventions, you may watch the official recording (Socheata’s intervention at 1:29:40, and Ankita’s intervention at 1:35:18), the webinar transcript, and refer to the full text of our oral statements (Ankita Rathi) (Socheata Sokhachan).