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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Anja,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I really haven’t followed or kept up with the Action Lines process… The few times that I did take a look it seemed to be mostly around fairly empty self-congratulations about the success of one pilot project or paper exercise or another with little real connection with what might be happening on the ground. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Rather I’ve tried to spend my time at my “day job” which is helping in various ways to support/enable bottom up development processes. As I tried to point out in my reply to George’s comments on my earlier post the connection that I see between bottom up development (the kind that actually works) and say a WSIS process is that global policy influences national policy and national, multilateral and foundation funding. Bottom up development will only go so far until it runs into a policy or a funding blockage. If the supporting mechanisms/policies aren’t there initiatives fail and ladders quickly turn into snakes. Then, the people with the fewest resources are required to start all over again while the those with the most get to jet off to another international conference talking about which square “Action Line” peg can be snaffled to fit into the required round hole so as to appear to be supportive of “Poverty Reduction” or whatever the flavor of the day happens to be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Action Lines aren’t “development” they are a way of describing (or in most cases mis-describing) development activities taking place (or not) rather far distant from wherever those Action Lines are being discussed. The non-IG part of WSIS should be about the reality of development and a WSIS +10 either takes a close look at what worked (or more likely, didn’t) on the ground and starts from there or it isn’t about anything at all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>M <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Anja Kovacs [mailto:anja@internetdemocracy.in] <br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, December 02, 2013 11:39 AM<br><b>To:</b> michael gurstein<br><b>Cc:</b> Nick Ashton-Hart; IGC; bestbits<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [bestbits] FW: Broadband Manifesto<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>I wouldn't actually agree that an approach that starts from the national level is the only way forward. In the analysis of the Internet Democracy Project, among important reasons why more progress has not been made on various goals set out in the WSIS Action Lines is not only because Action Lines have been implemented in too top-down a fashion, but also, and relatedly, because the Action Lines mix together two types of issues: those that fundamentally rely on the input of the larger development community, and those that are Internet governance issues in the more narrow sense. The latter frequently cut across Action Lines, and as long as they are not addressed adequately, it is unlikely that the development agenda that is at the heart of the Action Lines will take off either. The former is in many cases the foundation for the success of the latter. <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>For this reason, the Internet Democracy Project proposed in September, when the first inputs into the preparatory process for the ITU's High Level Review meeting were due, to actually rearrange the Action Lines to make sure both aspects of the Action Lines get their due. This would entail highlighting, and addressing, the Internet governance agenda that is embedded in the Action Lines separately, without at any point losing sight of its connectedness with the development agenda. We resubmitted this proposal as an input into the zero draft of the zero draft of the WSIS+10 vision in November, please see: <a href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/review/inc/docs/phase2/rc/V1-D-2.docx">http://www.itu.int/wsis/review/inc/docs/phase2/rc/V1-D-2.docx</a> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>While many development issues in the Action Lines require action first and foremost at local and national levels, many of the Internet governance issues are really global public policy issues (and by splitting the two strands, where to engage can become much more clear for a range of actors). We therefore also made this proposal an integral part of our proposals for the evolution of global Internet governance. If much of the groundwork to enhance cooperation has already been done in the context of the Action Lines, why not build on this rather than constituting a new, government-dominated body? This would also ensure that the enhanced cooperation agenda, too, is tethered quite closely to development - that seems to be the case only rarely now. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Different issues require action at different levels and through different processes. The challenge is not which one to chose, but how to hold on to, organise and maximise the multitude. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Best,<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>Anja<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On 2 December 2013 06:06, michael gurstein <<a href="mailto:gurstein@gmail.com" target="_blank">gurstein@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>+1</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>M</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:nashton@consensus.pro" target="_blank">nashton@consensus.pro</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:nashton@consensus.pro" target="_blank">nashton@consensus.pro</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 01, 2013 4:05 PM<br><b>To:</b> michael gurstein; <a href="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org" target="_blank">governance@lists.igcaucus.org</a>; bestbits<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [bestbits] FW: Broadband Manifesto</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p>The merits of the report aside, your point, Michael, is one I believe strongly to be true: the whole WSIS follow-up system is top-down, because the ITU took control of it. What's needed is national-level action plans, drawn up by all stakeholders, which can then be compared like-for-like as to results internationally so countries can learn from what works in other countries. The irony is that this model is how "Agenda 21" the climate change process from the first Rio conference works; sadly WSIS didn't pick this up despite it postdating Rio by more than a decade.<o:p></o:p></p><p>In the WSIS review, we should fix this. The digital divide is not going to be met in Geneva at one-annual "WSIS review" meetings where INGOs (however well-meaning) compare notes and report cards - it will be met at the grassroots level, with buyin from that level.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>michael gurstein <<a href="mailto:gurstein@gmail.com" target="_blank">gurstein@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Anyone wondering why a grassroots/community informatics perspective is necessary in the WSIS and related ICT4D venues should take a close look at this corporate driven top-down techno-fantasy of what could/should be done with no attention being given to how it might actually be accomplished on the ground even after almost twenty years of similar pronouncements and failed (and hugely wasteful) similarly top down initiatives.<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>M<o:p></o:p></p><div><p> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><cite><span style='font-style:normal'><a href="http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2013/67.asp" target="_blank">http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2013/67.asp</a></span></cite><o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Broadband infrastructure, applications and services have become critical to driving growth, delivering social services, improving environmental management, and transforming people’s lives, according to a new Manifesto released by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development and signed by 48 members of the Commission, along with other prominent figures from industry, civil society and the United Nations. “Overcoming the digital divide makes sense not only on the basis of principles of fairness and justice; connecting the world makes soun d commercial sense,” the Manifesto reads. “The vital role of broadband needs to be acknowledged at the core of any post-2015 sustainable development framework, to ensure that all countries – developed and developing alike – are empowered to participate in the global digital economy.”<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:#1F497D'>Supporting Document</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><i> </i></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a href="http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/working-groups/bb-wg-taskforce-report.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/working-groups/bb-wg-taskforce-report.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p><div><p> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><br>-- <br>Sent from Kaiten Mail. Please excuse my brevity.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><br>____________________________________________________________<br>You received this message as a subscriber on the list:<br> <a href="mailto:bestbits@lists.bestbits.net">bestbits@lists.bestbits.net</a>.<br>To unsubscribe or change your settings, visit:<br> <a href="http://lists.bestbits.net/wws/info/bestbits" target="_blank">http://lists.bestbits.net/wws/info/bestbits</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br clear=all><br>-- <br>Dr. Anja Kovacs<br>The Internet Democracy Project<br><br>+91 9899028053 | @anjakovacs<br><a href="http://www.internetdemocracy.in/" target="_blank">www.internetdemocracy.in</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>