<div>Dear all, </div><div><br></div><div>I think some people of the governance list felt off from this thread because people that replied were not in both lists, if so, please, refer to the exchange of mensages bellow. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Basically, some of us are willing to draft to communications to ITU: 1) adaptation of the best bits statement (on the content of WTPF documents), 2) follow-up on the letter to the SG during WCIT (on process/barriers faced by civil society).</div>
<div><br></div><div><div>With that in mind, Deborah Brown and I have drafted the following text for the item 2 (follow-up letter to SG). (Is it right that CDT is working on the first draft for number 1?)</div><div><br></div>
<div>We hope that the draft bellow is useful and if you think so, could you please add comments until Monday? </div><div><br></div><div>As Jeremy have mentioned, let us try to ask for special dispensation to contribute and try to submit both letters (or just this one) with CS signatures during next week meeting. Would those attending next week's IEG meeting (Matthew, Avri?) support this letter and agree to deliver it in Geneva?</div>
<div><br></div></div><div>Hope it helps!</div><div><br></div><div>Kind regards, </div><div><br></div><div>Joana </div><div>-- <br><br>Joana Varon Ferraz<br>Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS-FGV)<br><a href="http://direitorio.fgv.br/cts/" target="_blank">http://direitorio.fgv.br/cts/</a><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/goog_946507056" target="_blank"><br>
</a><a href="http://www.freenetfilm.org/" target="_blank">www.freenetfilm.org</a><br>@joana_varon<br><br><br><br>--------<br>
<p class="p1">31 January, 2012</p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">Open letter to ITU in ref. World Telecommunication Policy Forum (WTPF-13) preparation process</p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">Dear Secretary General Touré, </p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">Recalling Tunis Agenda (Paragraph 35, in particular) we, the undersigned members of civil society, write to urge International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to honor previous commitments expressed by the Secretary General in order to recognize the importance of ensuring meaningful and sustainable civil society participation in the preparatory process undertaken for the World Telecommunication Policy Forum (WTPF).</p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">The few civil society representatives who were in Dubai attending WCIT welcomed the opportunity to meet with you. On that occasion, we shared with you the concerns expressed in a <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/accessnow.org/document/pub?id=1LiM3FfKF8Fgih7Um7v2vK20J2AigneGrgJ93YTbqLSM"><span class="s1">letter</span></a> that gained the support of over 60 members of civil society globally. At that time, main issues were: the lack of any official standing to the public comments solicited prior to WCIT at the ITU’s invitation; the lack of access to and transparency of working groups, particularly the working groups of Committee 5; and the absence of mechanisms to encourage independent civil society participation. We welcome that you included the public comments in an information note to members of the ITU, where you have <a href="http://files.wcitleaks.org/public/S12-WCIT12-INF-0005!!MSW-E.pdf"><span class="s1">recognized</span></a> the “<b>benefits from a greater civil society engagement at ITU” and have </b>committed “<b>to take stock” and provide your membership with “some important recommendations” in line with the issue that civil society representatives raised. </b></p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">Yet, as preparations are underway for the WTPF, civil society finds itself facing familiar barriers to participation:</p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">1) There is no formal mechanism for civil society to independently make contributions to the preparatory process. We recognize that you have on a number of occasions encouraged member states to form multistakeholder delegations, but as representatives of civil society has expressed to you previously, civil society participation in national delegations cannot substitute for engagement with independent members of civil society. <span class="s1">We request the opportunity to submit comments on the SG’s report and Member State opinions, similar to the Public Views and Opinions page for the WCIT, but with the guarantee that these opinions will be entered into the formal record. </span> <span class="s1">We recognize that the deadline for contributions was 1 February 2013, but given these barriers.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">2) There are significant barriers to entry for meaningful participation in the May 2013 WTPF meeting. While we welcome that there is a formal process to apply to attend as a “public attendant”, there is no indication that civil society representatives who attend will have speaking rights at the meeting. <span class="s1"> As previously expressed in the <a href="http://bestbits.igf-online.net/statement/"><span class="s2">Best Bits statement,</span></a> we call for the ITU to create spaces during WTPF for civil society to express their views, as was done during the WSIS process. We also request that the WTPF be live streamed to allow for civil society and members of the public to follow remotely. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p1">Additionally the vetting process is opaque, with no public guidelines for who is accepted as a public attendant. <span class="s1">We call for the ITU to provide guidance on how the applications admitted.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><br></p>
<p class="p3">[ 3) While some members of civil society have been invited to participate in the Informal Experts Group (IEG), this notice came too late in the process-- just a few weeks before the IEG’s final meeting-- for most individuals to find the resources to travel to Geneva. Furthermore, participation in the final IEG meeting is not sufficient for meaningful participation in the WTPF process. We regret that this opportunity was not communicated earlier and more publicly, and call for civil society to be included earlier in the process in future ITU meetings.] </p>
<p class="p2">Sincerely,</p><div><br></div>
<p class="p1"><b>Questions:</b></p>
<p class="p1">1) When was the IEG opened to civil society participation? Was it just that we didn’t know to ask? [We have heard that the USG had sent a letter to the IEG Chair to request CS participation, waiting to hear back if that happened and when.]</p>
<p class="p1">2) Do members of the IEG have speaking rights at the WTPF May meeting? i.e. if civil society is on the IEG, then do they have the right to speak at the WTPF?</p>
<p class="p1">3) Is it possible to participate meaningfully in the IEG without attending in person, i.e. remote participation, contributions over email, etc.</p>
<p class="p2"><br></p><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jan 31, 2013 at 2:37 PM, Joana Varonferraz <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:joana@varonferraz.com" target="_blank">joana@varonferraz.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div>Let's do it, Mathew.</div><div><br>Are you already coordinating with CDT to adapt best bits statement?</div>
<div><br></div><div>I'm between meetings but I can start a draft of the follow up on the letter to SG. Deborah, from Access, might help. Anyone who has a little time to help is more then welcome. We will start it in about 2 hours.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Lets try to have both drafts by the end of the day and try not to be so creative, just departuring from the points and views of previous consensus, as these letters will be just follow ups from previous "achievements", right?</div>
<div><br></div><div>Best</div><div><br></div><div>Joana</div><div><div class="im"><br>--- ~ --- ~ --- ~ <div>Joana Varon Ferraz</div><div>Researcher</div></div><div>Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS/FGV)</div><div><div>
<a href="http://www.freenetfilm.org" target="_blank">www.freenetfilm.org</a></div><div><br></div></div></div><div><div class="h5"><div><br>On 31/01/2013, at 09:52, Gene Kimmelman <<a href="mailto:genekimmelman@gmail.com" target="_blank">genekimmelman@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>I agree also on this approach<br><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: matthew shears <<a href="mailto:mshears@cdt.org" target="_blank">mshears@cdt.org</a>> <br>
Date: <br>
To: <a href="mailto:bestbits@lists.igcaucus.org" target="_blank">bestbits@lists.igcaucus.org</a>,Jeremy Malcolm <<a href="mailto:jeremy@ciroap.org" target="_blank">jeremy@ciroap.org</a>>,<a href="mailto:joana@varonferraz.com" target="_blank">joana@varonferraz.com</a> <br>
Subject: Re: [bestbits] [governance] Multistakeholder Roles and Responsibilities <br> <br><br>
<br>
I agree with Joana and Jeremy - there are two communications we
should do pretty quickly: <br>
<br>
1) take the Best Bits WCIT statement and adapt it - or at least the
first part on transparency and access, etc. - to the WTPF. I
personally don't see the participation challenges for civil society
being much less than they were at the WCIT - which is ironic because
the WTPF is not a treaty-making conference - and the IEG is not
adequate by any means (I am on the IEG and will be attending next
week). I'm sure CDT would be happy to take a first cut at this
text.<br>
<br>
2) follow-up on the letter to the SG and the meeting we had in Dubai
in which participation in the WTPF was discussed. <br>
<br>
If there is agreement on text on 1 above I can raise points from it
or read it in the IEG meeting next week for Best Bits. <br>
<br>
While I understand the Brazilian telecoms regulator's view there are
a number of points in the SG's 4th report that refer to
multistakeholderism in Internet governance issues and there are two
opinions submitted so far that take positions I believe are contrary
to civil society's interests in terms of stakeholder participation
and enhanced cooperation. I think civil society messaging on these
issues is as important for the WTPF as it was for the WCIT.<br>
<br>
And finally, who on this list is going to the UNESCO WSIS/IGF
meeting at the end of February? Thought it might be good to have a
gathering during that week to compare notes on WSIS+10/IGF and
discuss WTPF?<br>
<br>
Best<br>
<br>
Matthew<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div>On 31/01/2013 09:01, Jeremy Malcolm
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>On 31/01/13 05:15, Joana Varon wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">Sorry for the late reply after the sympathy some
have expressed on drafting a letter highlighting the promises of
Dr Touré at the WCIT SC meeting. I was approaching the Brazilian
government for support on our demand for space and participation
of civil society organizations on ITU processes.
<div> <span style><br>
Though showing solidarity with the cause, <font face="Calibri, sans-serif">Brazilian government (or our
telecom regulatory agency responsible for representing the
country at ITU) has signaled that WTPF is not the proper
sphere to submit extensive contribution regarding CS
participation, the plenipotentiary would be so. So, as far
as I know, Brazil will submit a contribution to WTPF only
generally speaking about openness and transparency, but
not presenting a particular proposal for change in the
mechanisms for civil society participation. </font></span></div>
<div><span style><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><br>
</span></span></div>
<div><span style><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In that sense, they
have also addressed the existence of Informal Experts
Group for WTPF, highlighting that: </span></span></div>
...
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, this is surely not satisfactory,
so, with <span style>that
in mind, I wonder if we should go for that joined CS
letter focusing on WTPF and stressing previous commitments
from the Secretary General, do we still have time? Or, for
the ones how are more aware of UN bodies internal
procedures, do we have to wait the loooong time for the
plenipot? What could we grasp right now?</span></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
(I'm quoting almost your whole message because I intend on
forwarding my reply to the wcit12 list too, as an almost identical
discussion is going on there.)<br>
<br>
The deadline for comments on the Secretary General's report is
tomorrow, so we may be hard pressed to do anything by then!
Having said that, we could ask for special dispensation to
contribute a belated submission, as was granted for the Best Bits
statement to WCIT.<br>
<br>
Personally I am unlikely to have time to take the lead on a letter
but I am supportive of the idea and would have comments to give on
a draft if say you or Emma from CDT were to send some draft text.
The IGC has not successfully done a statement for a while, and
Best Bits is in transition (watch this space), so probably it
would probably not be under either of those umbrellas, but rather
a generic civil society letter to which groups could sign on.<br>
<br>
I agree that the invitation to participate in the IEG is no
substitute, though for those who can, good on them. Avri said she
is on the group and there is CDT, but unless you count ISOC (I
don't), there is no other civil society that I know of. Doubtless
largely due to the lack of funding, as always (that's why I won't
be there).<br>
<br>
<div>-- <br>
<p style="font-size:9.0pt"><b>Dr Jeremy Malcolm<br>
Senior Policy Officer<br>
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</blockquote>
<br>
</div></blockquote></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><br><br>
</div>