<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>Dear Deirdre, all, <br><br></div>Thank you very much for your email and your
reflections. In our capacity as the civil society representatives
to the CSCG, we wanted to offer the following remarks. We are unable to
comment on everything included but there are some points where we would
like to offer clarification, specifically on where you have included
'things to consider'. <br></div><div><span class="gmail-im"><br></span></div><div><span class="gmail-im">Looking forward to any further responses or comments. <br></span></div><div><span class="gmail-im"><br></span></div><div><span class="gmail-im">Thanks again!<br></span></div><div><span class="gmail-im"><br></span></div><div><span class="gmail-im">Best<br></span></div><span class="gmail-im"></span></div><span class="gmail-im">Sheetal & Poncelet.<br></span><div><div><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Things to consider:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Timing </u>– this year the MAG renewal is being carried out over a very short period of time. CSCG can be a rather cumbersome process. <br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">I
(Sheetal) today responded to the queries regarding the process that the
CSCG will undertake to nominate civil society representatives to the
MAG. </span><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">We understand the deadline is three and a half weeks away, 10 November, and that the announcement is now almost three weeks old. However, </span>the CSCG is committed to carrying out this process, and we have
just finished internally composing the NomCom (who will agree the process for the nomination and carry out the internal CSCG deliberation) today. As soon as the process is
clarified internally (this week at the latest), I will share the
relevant information with everyone here. </span><br></p><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestion</u>:
we don’t have to wait for the last minute. We know how many terms civil
society MAG members have served so we have an idea of how many
replacements will be needed. A call could be made at a convenient time
and Nomcoms could meet in anticipation of the renewal call and have a
slate of candidates ready. Then when the call comes it is just a case of
checking that those chosen for endorsement are still available. (Won’t
help this time, but worth thinking about)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">Thank you for this suggestion, which we can certainly communicate to the rest of the CSCG. </span><br></p><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Scope</u>: How do we make CSCG truly representative of the diversity of civil society?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><br></u></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">The
CSCG currently consists of five member coalitions. Although we can't
speak on or comment as to the scope and the diversity of these groups,
and whether collectively they represent the diversity of civil society we would be happy to communicate suggestions of how to make the CSCG
more diverse to the current membership, or to suggest the facilitation
of a broader conversation on this point.</span><br></p><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><u><br></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestions</u>:
CSCG began with 6 member coalitions. CIVICUS and Diplo have both
dropped out. Do the four that are left represent the range of civil
society? (I don’t think so.) Can we find a way to use the growing body
of local and regional IGFs and other national and regional initiatives
(NRIs) to help to create a more inclusive CSCG? Is there another way to
do this?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Criteria for selection</u>: What attributes do we require in a civil society MAG member?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestions</u>:
For the MAG endorsement it should be possible to decide the type of
candidate that civil society needs. At bottom the MAG is about running
the IGF. Therefore some experience of the IGF is needed (not necessarily
in situ, but certainly evidence of previous engagement and experience;
this is not the right place for “giving the newbies a chance”). What
other criteria are needed? Demonstrated willingness to work? Ability to
work as part of a team? (I would add ability to listen as well as to
talk because candidates will be representing civil society as a whole if
they are eventually selected – they need to be aware of the range of
what civil society as a group is thinking.) I’m sure there are other
criteria. This should be a continuing discussion.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">Thanks
for these points, which we hope will guide considerations of the Best
Bits community in the current MAG nomination process. I just want to take the opportunity to share the information included in the official announcement in case useful too: <a href="https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/mag-2018-renewal">https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/mag-2018-renewal</a></span><br></p><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Participation:</u> How
should the Nomcom deal with a situation of having to function more or
less without one or more of its members? Are valid decisions possible in
these circumstances? <br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">With
regards to the current Nomcom for the MAG elections we can confirm that
there will be a representative from each of the current constituent
groups (Best Bits, Association for Progressive
Communications, Internet Governance Caucus, Just Net Coalition,
and Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group of ICANN). </span></p><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestions</u>: Don’t
leave things to the last moment. Do insist that volunteers demonstrate
their commitment. Arrange for alternates so that in the case of a real
emergency there is someone else ready to take the place of the affected
member.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">We
fully agree that timely responses are absolutely necessary to these
calls and to ensure a truly inclusive process. We will communicate this
concern to the rest of the members of the CSCG and we would welcome any
further critical reflection from others in the community on this point
too.</span><br></p><span class="gmail-im"><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">CSCG is supposed to be the creation of
global civil society. It’s important that we think about these things
because CSCG is supposed to be making decisions on OUR behalf about who
are the best people to represent US. Each of us should ensure that the
process is being carried out as we would want it to be.</p><p class="MsoNormal">This is an issue that needs our urgent attention. <br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)">I
want to commit at this point that we will share the concerns that you
have raised here - no doubt most or many of the members of the CSCG are
on Best Bits and they will read this too. We also want to reiterate the
request for any further comments on diversity, inclusivity and
effectiveness of the CSCG in carrying out its mandate to</span><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)"> ensure a coordinated civil society
response and conduit when it comes to making civil society appointments to outside bodies. <br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,255)"><br></span></p></div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 16 October 2017 at 17:07, Deirdre Williams <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:williams.deirdre@gmail.com" target="_blank">williams.deirdre@gmail.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="ltr"><div style="font-size:12.8px">(Apologies for the long email)</div><span style="font-size:12.8px">Dear Colleagues,</span><div style="font-size:12.8px"><p class="MsoNormal">Mandela said “Just because you’re small you don’t have to be cowards.” Civil society may be small – we don’t have the obvious power of the big multi-national corporations – but that’s no excuse for shoddiness, which is a sort of cowardice, which means giving up before you even begin.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The Civil Society Coordination Group was, is, a great idea. It’s a means by which we could harness the power of numbers which is civil society’s great treasure. But it will only work if we do it properly, and recently we haven’t been doing it properly. Understand that this is a criticism of the institution and not of individual members who tried hard to “do things properly”.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Participation is about doing things, about active involvement. Volunteering is only a preliminary, it is not sufficient by itself. If one volunteers or accepts a nomination, then one has been entrusted to do something for a whole group of other people, and this is a serious responsibility. If it then becomes impossible to complete the task the only responsible action is to step down and clear the space for someone else who will have the time, the energy, and the commitment. To stay and do nothing is irresponsible and shameful.</p><p class="MsoNormal">CSCG is still quite new and has no official standing in the selection process. To gain the trust of the final selectors (in this case the UN) it is necessary that CSCG must gain the trust of the constituency it claims to represent (civil society), and is clearly seen to be trusted by civil society generally. If civil society can’t be bothered then CSCG has no reason to exist.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Things to consider:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Timing </u>– this year the MAG renewal is being carried out over a very short period of time. CSCG can be a rather cumbersome process.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestion</u>: we don’t have to wait for the last minute. We know how many terms civil society MAG members have served so we have an idea of how many replacements will be needed. A call could be made at a convenient time and Nomcoms could meet in anticipation of the renewal call and have a slate of candidates ready. Then when the call comes it is just a case of checking that those chosen for endorsement are still available. (Won’t help this time, but worth thinking about)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Scope</u>: How do we make CSCG truly representative of the diversity of civil society?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestions</u>: CSCG began with 6 member coalitions. CIVICUS and Diplo have both dropped out. Do the four that are left represent the range of civil society? (I don’t think so.) Can we find a way to use the growing body of local and regional IGFs and other national and regional initiatives (NRIs) to help to create a more inclusive CSCG? Is there another way to do this?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Criteria for selection</u>: What attributes do we require in a civil society MAG member?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestions</u>: For the MAG endorsement it should be possible to decide the type of candidate that civil society needs. At bottom the MAG is about running the IGF. Therefore some experience of the IGF is needed (not necessarily in situ, but certainly evidence of previous engagement and experience; this is not the right place for “giving the newbies a chance”). What other criteria are needed? Demonstrated willingness to work? Ability to work as part of a team? (I would add ability to listen as well as to talk because candidates will be representing civil society as a whole if they are eventually selected – they need to be aware of the range of what civil society as a group is thinking.) I’m sure there are other criteria. This should be a continuing discussion.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Participation:</u> How should the Nomcom deal with a situation of having to function more or less without one or more of its members? Are valid decisions possible in these circumstances?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><u>Suggestions</u>: Don’t leave things to the last moment. Do insist that volunteers demonstrate their commitment. Arrange for alternates so that in the case of a real emergency there is someone else ready to take the place of the affected member.</p><p class="MsoNormal">CSCG is supposed to be the creation of global civil society. It’s important that we think about these things because CSCG is supposed to be making decisions on OUR behalf about who are the best people to represent US. Each of us should ensure that the process is being carried out as we would want it to be.</p><p class="MsoNormal">This is an issue that needs our urgent attention.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Best wishes</p><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><p class="MsoNormal">Deirdre</p></font></span></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="m_456507899101365769gmail_signature">“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979</div>
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