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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Hi All<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Thanks Jeanette
for starting a discussion on the next year’s themes. The caucus has never
been so pro-active before :- ) .<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>To give a
background to those who may not have kept track, some civil society actors
including the IGC had started to propose ‘rights based approach to IG’
as 2009 IGF’s main themes a couple of months back. These actors also made
‘official’ contributions to the IGF process on this issue. IGC’s
contributions to the September consultations and to the IGF 2008 synthesis
paper ( see </span></font><font color=black><span style='color:black'><a
href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/sec_papers_08/IGF.SynthesisPaper.Final.30.10.2008.pdf">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/sec_papers_08/IGF.SynthesisPaper.Final.30.10.2008.pdf</a></span></font><font
size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'> ) speaks of this issue. Some
other contributions to the synthesis paper also raise this issue. Consequently,
a ‘rights based approach to IG’ figures prominently in the IGF 2008’s
synthesis paper, which is supposed to be the official conference paper.
Unfortunately, neither do the organizers give much prominence to the paper, nor,
it appears, most participants take real note of it. However, it remains a fact
that this paper is an important part of official proceedings of the IGF. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Many civil
society actors spoke about a ‘rights based approach to IG’ during
the 2008 IGF, a few of them specifically calling it to be made as the theme for
IGF 2009. One of the two opening session statement by civil society participant
mentions this issue, as does the sole civil society statement at the closing session.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>The dynamic
coalition on gender read out a statement asking for the main theme of the next
IGF to be ‘a rights based approach to IG’. This issue was also raised
by many interventions in the main sessions and at a couple of dynamic coalition
meetings and other workshops. As you would have noticed from an email sent out
before the IGC @ IGF meeting, and as pointed out by Jeanette and Ralf, the IGC
members meeting at the IGF also discussed this issue and there was wide support
for this to be the central theme for the IGF 2009. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>In this context, I will like to draw the members attention to Council
of Europe’s submission to the IGF Hyderabad – ‘Internet
- a critical resource for all’ ( see <a
href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/index.php/contributions">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/index.php/contributions</a>
and also enclosed ) which I quote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>“The
Council of Europe provides state and non-state actors with co-operation
platforms, legal standards and public policy and practical tools which fit well
the current transition towards a more definite rights and people-centred
Internet governance approach.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>So, we have
other actors speaking about a ‘rights centered approach to IG’. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>As Natasha
says, supported by Valeria, we must now take a strategic approach to pushing
for this theme to be adopted for IGF 2009. A strategic approach, in my view,
will perhaps require both a tactical campaign like approach mixed with
tactical caution on some aspects, with a view of maximizing the chance of
getting the proposed as the main theme for IGF 2009 . Most importantly,
it will require building connections with some key actors who could be brought
over to support this proposal. As per the above CoE document some European governments
may do so. But we will need to broaden support to include some key Southern
actors as well.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'>Parminder <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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