Formation Declaration and Operating Principles

South Asia is home to nearly two billion people, with youth constituting the largest and fastest-growing share of its population. The digital future of the region – across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – is being shaped now, yet the voices of young people remain largely underrepresented from the regional and global internet governance forums and policy processes that determine how the internet develops, who it serves, and who it excludes.

The founding members, representing the diverse youth communities of the South Asian region, convened by common purpose and shared vision, hereby establish this forum. They are inspired by the mandate of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum, the principles of the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum, and the exemplary model of the Youth Internet Governance Forums in the region.

They recognise that the internet governance challenges most acutely felt by the people of South Asia require the active, informed, and sustained participation of the youth of the region in multi-stakeholder policy discussions.

Part I establishes the forum and sets out its name, vision, mission, founding principles, declaratory commitments, and its relationship with existing internet governance structures. The name, vision, mission, and objectives are set out on the About page, and the seven founding principles are listed on the home page.

The founding members of yIGF South Asia hereby:

• Affirm that internet governance is a matter of fundamental public concern, directly shaping human rights, economic opportunity, cultural expression, and democratic participation across South Asia.
• Recognise that the UN IGF, affirmed as a permanent forum of the United Nations by UN General Assembly Resolution 80/173 of December 2025, provides the overarching framework within which yIGF South Asia operates.
• Acknowledge the growing urgency of internet governance issues facing South Asian youth, including bridging the digital divide, protecting freedom of expression online, ensuring data privacy and protection, advancing equitable access to artificial intelligence, combating online gender-based violence, and strengthening cybersecurity frameworks.
• Commit to bringing the voices, perspectives, and priorities of South Asian youth into national, sub-regional, regional (APrIGF), and global (UN IGF) internet governance processes, ensuring intergenerational representation.
• Pledge to foster regional solidarity, cross-border learning, and collaborative youth action on shared digital challenges, while respecting the diversity of national contexts within South Asia.
• Dedicate themselves to the capacity building of youth across South Asia to engage substantively and confidently in internet governance policy discussions.

Part II sets out the definitions, objectives, and the full governance framework of the forum: the Multi-stakeholder Steering Group and its organisational principles, membership, and functions; decision making; management and leadership; committees and working groups; the annual event and site selection; the Secretariat; the thematic priority areas; and the amendment procedure.

The principles set out in this document may be amended by a decision of the MSG. All proposals for amendments shall be:

1. Published to the MSG mailing list and the yIGF South Asia website for public comment for a minimum of one (1) month before any decision is taken;
2. Approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of Voting Members; and
3. Documented and published in updated form within seven (7) days of the decision.