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GAC Universal Acceptance and Internationalized Domain Names Working Group (UA-IDN WG)
This web page is being developed to provide a single information source for interested GAC participants (as well as UA-IDN WG members) to learn about the topics of Universal Acceptance and Internationalized Domain Names and to follow the efforts of the GAC, ICANN and the Universal Acceptance Steering Group on issues involving the topics of importance to governments. The page can be referenced for basic introductory information and web links to further information about UA and IDNs. This page also provides information about working group members and web links to documents produced by the working group.
For further information about these matters or any organizational questions about the working group, please reach out to GAC Support Staff at gac-staff@icann.org.
Universal Acceptance (UA) - What is It?
Universal Acceptance (UA) is the concept that all domain names should be treated equally. UA ensures that all domain names and email addresses can be used by all Internet-enabled applications, devices and systems and is essential for the continued expansion of the Internet as it provides a gateway to the next billion Internet users. UA enables the private sector, government and societies to better serve their communities through the use of an increasing number of new domains, including non-Latin based, language-specific domain names (IDNs) in Arabic, Chinese and many other scripts.
Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) - What are they?
Internationalized Domain names (IDNs) enable people around the world to use domain names in local languages and scripts. IDNs are formed using characters from different scripts, such as Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic or Devanagari. These are encoded by the Unicode standard and used as allowed by relevant IDN protocols.
The ICANN organization (ICANN org) instituted the IDN Program to assist in the development and promotion of a multilingual Internet using IDNs. The program is primarily focused on the planning and implementation of IDN top-level domains (TLDs), including IDN country code TLDs and generic TLDs. The IDN Program also supports projects geared towards effective use of IDNs at the second-level of the Domain Name System, as guided by the community.
ICANN org maintains its own web page that provides information regarding the IDN program at - https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/idn-2012-02-25-en
The Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) - What is It?
Founded in 2015, the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) is a consortium of companies (including Afilias, Apple, GoDaddy, Google, ICANN, Microsoft, Verisign and many others) that works to raise awareness of UA and help organizations ensure their systems are UA-ready and able to accept all domain names and all email addresses. The support and engagement of these participating organizations, notably ICANN, has made the UASG’s work possible.
The role of governments in UA is recognized in the UASG Charter where it is recognized that UA activities must be considered a multi-sector effort. The charter provides that “outputs may range from technical guidance and tools to support developers and service providers in addressing UA-related issues, to messaging and campaigns around why Universal Acceptance should be treated as a priority for businesses, governments, civil society, and other stakeholders” (emphasis added).
In December 2018 it was announced that the ICANN Board had made improving and promoting UA and Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) implementation one of its five strategic priorities for FY21-FY25. Specifically, the ICANN strategic plan notes: “The rapid evolution of new technologies requires ICANN to be responsive to these changes and ensure that the unique identifiers system evolves and continues to serve the global Internet user base.” To help achieve this objective, ICANN org added UA to the responsibilities of its Board IDN/UA Working Group.
The UASG maintains a separate web site for information and updates on UA issues at – https://uasg.tech/.
Please find a list of UASG document links and resources below for your reference.
- To check if an email address is EAI compliant: https://uasg.tech/eai-check/
- For more information on FY21 UA Readiness Report, go to: https://uasg.tech/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/UA-Readiness-Report-FY21.pdf
- For more information on FY22 UASG Action Plan, please visit: https://uasg.tech/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/UASG-FY22-Action-Plan-20210727.pdf
- Rajasthan Government UA Case Study: https://uasg.tech/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/UASG013E-en-case-study-rajmail-government-of-rajasthan.pdf
- Quick Guide to Tender and Contractual Documents: https://uasg.tech/wp-content/uploads/documents/UASG009-en-digital.pdf
- Join the UASG community email list: https://uasg.tech/subscribe
- Join a UASG working group: https://uasg.tech/join/
- Connect with UASG: info@uasg.tech
- Quick Guide to Tender and Contractual Documents: https://uasg.tech/wp-content/uploads/documents/UASG009-en-digital.pdf
- Follow @UASGTech on social media
https://www.facebook.com/uasgtech/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/uasgtech/
GAC Universal Acceptance/Internationalized Domain Name Working Group (UA-IDN WG) - Basics
At the ICANN66 Public Meeting in Montreal, the GAC formally established a Universal Acceptance and IDN Working Group (the “UA-IDN WG”) to help the committee track, consider and address matters and topics relevant to governments in those areas.
The decision was the result of several previous discussions among GAC members and with members of the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) about the importance of these matters to governments. Interested group members met briefly in Montreal to establish some initial collaborative connections with the UASG.
UA-IDN WG Work: The initial work of the UA-IDN WG between the GAC’s ICANN66 Montreal meeting and the GAC’s ICANN67 meeting in Cancun, Mexico focused on the development of the working group Terms of Reference (TOR) and an initial annual work plan for the working group that can be reviewed and endorsed by the full GAC membership. A copy of the original Terms of Reference for the Working Group can be found in the documentation section below.
The GAC Leadership looks to the working group to provide perspectives, information and expertise on UA and IDN matters when they arise in various contexts. For example, the GAC Leadership has consulted with the Working Group from time to time seeking feedback on ICANN Public Comment Opportunities.
Members of the Working Group have also interacted with the UASG - serving as a communication and liaison resource for that group.
UA-IDN WG Leadership: As of October 2022, Hossein Mirzapour (Iran) serves as the UA-IDN WG Chair.
| NAME | COUNTRY |
| Davit Sahakyan | Armenia |
| Avet Poghosyan | Armenia |
| Kristina Hakobyan | Armenia |
| Ingram Niblock | Australia |
| Jamie McPherson | Australia |
| Veronica Deutrom | Australia |
| Dale Buttfield | Australia |
| Dr Shamsuzzoha | Bangladesh |
| Vladimir Terán Gutierrez | Plurinational State of Bolivia |
| Renata Mielli | Brazil |
| Marcelo Salomão Martinez | Brazil |
| Mozart Tenório | Brazil |
| Pg Alias Bin Pg Dato Paduka Haji Hidup | Brunei Darussalam |
| Iglika Ivanova | Bulgaria |
| David Bedard | Canada |
| Monika Surma |
Canada |
| Noel Jean-David Litanga Sangu | Congo, Democratic Republic of |
| Venceslas Katimba Kukwabantu | Congo, Democratic Republic of |
| Polo Fabián Iñiguez Matute | Ecuador |
| Abdalmonem Tharwat Galila |
Egypt |
| Esteve Sanz | European Commission |
| Martina Barbero | European Commission |
| Amparo Arango Echeverri | Dominican Republic |
| Jonas Roule | France |
| Vincent Roberts | Grenada |
| Athanasios Paliatsos | Greece |
| Sushil Pal | India |
| Pradeep Kumar Verma | India |
| Hossein Mirzapour (Co-Chair) | Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Saif Al-Mashhadi | Iraq |
| Zeina Bou Harb | Lebanon |
| Khaled Altarhuni | Libya |
| Ruzamri Ruwandi | Malaysia |
| Mohamad Afiq Ammar Tulos | Malaysia |
| Mohamed El Moctar Mohamedine | Mauritania |
| Mahen Soobron | Mauritius |
| Prem Sharan Shrestha | Nepal |
| Marco Hogewoning | The Netherlands |
| Chukwudi Diugwu |
Nigeria |
| Ronke Sola-Ogunsola | Nigeria |
| Ibrahim Al Maawali | Oman |
| Habib Al Balushi |
Oman |
| Raza Ahmed Sukhera | Pakistan |
| Melnguis Mesubed | Republic of Palau |
| Jonathan Temol | Republic of Palau |
| Miver Umedip | Republic of Palau |
| Hildeman Rangel | Republic of Panama |
| Frederico Luis P. Trinidad |
Philippines |
| Viorel Vulturescu | Romania |
| Cristiana Flutur | Romania |
| Cheryleann Pemberton | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Waleed Aloriny | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Ivan Liška | Slovakia |
| Mustafa Sheik | Somalia |
| Kanishka Karunasena Thanthri Waththage | Sri Lanka |
| Tarik Merghani | Sudan |
| Lucas Prêtre | Switzerland |
| Mwesigwa Felician | United Republic of Tanzania |
| Sione ‘Akau’ola | Tonga |
| ‘Esau LM Tupou | Tonga |
| Wajdi Garali | Tunisia |
| Rosalind KennyBirch | United Kingdom |
| Jaisha Wray | United States of America |
| Susan Chalmers | United States of America |
| Pearl Risberg | United States of America |
| Owen Fletcher | United States of America |
| Beatriz Rodriguez | Uruguay |
| Nguyen Hong Thang | Viet Nam |
| Nia Nanan | Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) |
| Hazem Hezzah | League of Arab States |
| Khaled Wali | League of Arab States |
| El Hadji Malick Ndiaye | Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) |
| Marielza Oliveira | United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) |