However, developing a “Framework of Interpretation” is still needed as it will guide the implementation of the human rights commitment. The work on the Framework will begin at the ICANN meeting in Helsinki, which started yesterday. Once the Framework is in place, the organisation will proceed to develop a human rights policy.

ICANN’s commitment to human rights is an important milestone in including human rights on the formal agenda of internet governance bodies, but what kinds of policies the organisation ultimately adopts remains to be seen, as well as how the policies will be implemented in practice.

In other ICANN-related news, the ICANN board agreed to the final proposal for the IANA functions transition, and the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration has now also stated that the proposal meets the necessary criteria to complete the transition. Next, the US Congress needs to approve the proposal – a likely scenario according to Article 19, despite resistance by some Republican senators.