The IETF is for Everyone: Toward Inclusive and Equitable Participation in Internet Governance
draft-attoumani-ietf-inclusion-02

Individual Submission                               K. ATTOUMANI MOHAMED
Internet-Draft                                     Chapitre ISOC Comores
Intended status: Informational                             23 April 2025
Expires: 25 October 2025

 The IETF is for Everyone: Toward Inclusive and Equitable Participation
                         in Internet Governance
                   draft-attoumani-ietf-inclusion-02

Abstract

   This document affirms that the governance and activities of the IETF
   must be inclusive, accessible, and safe for all individuals,
   regardless of geography, language, race, gender, or sexual
   orientation.  It expands on prior diversity and venue policy RFCs and
   calls for community reflection on enhancing participation through
   inclusive meeting practices and multilingual support.

Status of this Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted in full conformance with the
   provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.

   Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
   Task Force (IETF).  Note that other groups may also distribute
   working documents as Internet-Drafts.  The list of current Internet-
   Drafts is at https://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.

   Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
   and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
   time.  It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
   material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."

   This Internet-Draft will expire on 25 October 2025.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (c) 2025 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
   document authors.  All rights reserved.

ATTOUMANI MOHAMED        Expires 25 October 2025                [Page 1]
Internet-Draft          Inclusive IETF Governance             April 2025

   This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
   Provisions Relating to IETF Documents (https://trustee.ietf.org/
   license-info) in effect on the date of publication of this document.
   Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights
   and restrictions with respect to this document.  Code Components
   extracted from this document must include Revised BSD License text as
   described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are
   provided without warranty as described in the Revised BSD License.

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.1.  Scope and Audience  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
     1.2.  Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Problem Statement: Exclusion in IETF Governance Practices . .   3
   3.  Review of Existing RFCs and Gaps  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   4.  Principles for Inclusive Meeting Participation  . . . . . . .   3
   5.  Considerations for Safe and Equitable Venue Selection . . . .   3
   6.  Multilingualism as an Enabler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   7.  Recommendations (Non-Prescriptive)  . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
     7.1.  Initiate Community Dialogues on Venue Inclusivity . . . .   4
     7.2.  Develop Guidelines for Safety and Diversity Assessment  .   4
     7.3.  Encourage Multilingual Interface Support  . . . . . . . .   4
   8.  Next Steps and Community Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   9.  Acknowledgements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   10. IANA and Security Considerations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   11. Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4
   Author's Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4

1.  Introduction

1.1.  Scope and Audience

   This document is primarily intended for the IETF community to prompt
   internal reflection and dialogue on inclusiveness in meeting
   governance.  It may also be of interest to external observers, such
   as standards organizations, governance bodies, and civil society
   actors interested in transparent and equitable Internet
   infrastructure development.

1.2.  Context

   The IETF promotes an open, global Internet.  This draft builds upon
   the principles in RFC 3271, RFC 7704, RFC 8718, and RFC 9501,
   identifying gaps in inclusivity that persist—particularly regarding
   venue selection and equitable participation for all identities and
   regions.

ATTOUMANI MOHAMED        Expires 25 October 2025                [Page 2]
Internet-Draft          Inclusive IETF Governance             April 2025

2.  Problem Statement: Exclusion in IETF Governance Practices

   Although the IETF values openness, many contributors still face
   barriers based on region, identity, or legal/political context.  Some
   venues discourage participation from marginalized communities due to
   safety or legal risks, e.g., LGBTQ+ individuals.  Venue policy lacks
   human rights and inclusivity criteria.

3.  Review of Existing RFCs and Gaps

   This draft complements:

   - RFC 8718: Meeting Venue Requirements

   - RFC 8719: High-Level Meeting Policy

   - RFC 7704: Diversity and Conduct

   - RFC 9501: Remote Participation Fees

   None of these documents define safety, nor do they provide tools for
   evaluating host country inclusiveness or human rights implications.

4.  Principles for Inclusive Meeting Participation

   - Prioritize safety, dignity, and legal protection of all
   participants

   - Expand outreach and support to underrepresented regions and
   identities

   - Apply a non-discrimination filter in site selection

5.  Considerations for Safe and Equitable Venue Selection

   Venue policies should include criteria assessing the risk of
   exclusion due to local laws or societal practices.  A Participation
   Impact Assessment could help guide decisions.

6.  Multilingualism as an Enabler

   Multilingualism should be viewed as a support mechanism for broader
   inclusion, not as a separate issue.  AI-based tools now allow real-
   time translation of materials and transcripts, enabling greater
   accessibility for non-English speakers.

7.  Recommendations (Non-Prescriptive)

ATTOUMANI MOHAMED        Expires 25 October 2025                [Page 3]
Internet-Draft          Inclusive IETF Governance             April 2025

7.1.  Initiate Community Dialogues on Venue Inclusivity

   It is recommended to begin with community-wide discussions to assess
   whether the current venue policies sufficiently address inclusivity
   and equitable participation.  This could be explored in informal side
   meetings, BoFs, or through Gen-Dispatch.  Open conversations are
   essential for validating whether the issue resonates broadly before
   pursuing structural changes.

7.2.  Develop Guidelines for Safety and Diversity Assessment

   Establish a non-binding set of guidelines or a Participation Impact
   Assessment model to help assess the legal, social, and cultural
   inclusivity of candidate host cities.  These tools would help the
   LLC, Secretariat, or selecting bodies to make informed, equitable
   decisions without overburdening the process.

7.3.  Encourage Multilingual Interface Support

   Promote multilingual access to IETF resources by leveraging AI-
   powered translation tools for scribing, document summaries, and tool
   interfaces.  Although English remains the working language,
   technological progress offers real opportunities to reduce friction
   for non-English speakers.

8.  Next Steps and Community Discussion

   This draft is intended to initiate a broader dialogue.  A side
   meeting during IETF 123 will serve as a forum for input and co-
   development of future solutions.

9.  Acknowledgements

   Thanks to the IETF community members who supported early discussion
   on this issue, especially during IETF 122 and informal feedback
   sessions.

10.  IANA and Security Considerations

   This document requires no actions from IANA and has no protocol-level
   security implications.  It supports the psychological safety and
   inclusion of contributors.

11.  Normative References

Author's Address

ATTOUMANI MOHAMED        Expires 25 October 2025                [Page 4]
Internet-Draft          Inclusive IETF Governance             April 2025

   Karim ATTOUMANI MOHAMED
   Chapitre ISOC Comores
   Comoros
   Email: karimattoumanimohamed@gmail.com

ATTOUMANI MOHAMED        Expires 25 October 2025                [Page 5]