<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#996633" face="verdana, sans-serif">Hello All,<br></font><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 10:16 PM, Jeremy Malcolm <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jeremy@ciroap.org">jeremy@ciroap.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><b>Submission of the IGC in taking stock of the Sharm el Sheikh meeting of the IGF</b></div>
<div><br></div><div>The Internet Governance Caucus (IGC) strongly supports the continuation of the IGF as a multi-stakeholder forum for the discussion of Internet-related public policy issues. </div></div></blockquote><div>
<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div> However if, as we hope, the forum's mandate is to be extended for a further term,</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Should we express uncertainty in our communication about the extension of the forum? "However, if, as we hope, the mandate is to be extended..."</div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div> there are a number of adjustments that we believe should be taken into account, continuing the IGF's pattern of incremental improvement since its inauguration in 2006. None of these suggestions would fundamentally alter the IGF as an institution; thus for example, we believe </div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div>it should remain formally convened by the UN Secretary General, with an independent budget and a Secretariat under contract with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I have different thoughts on this. The IGF came into being as a forum under the UN umbrella and remained so for the first 5 years. IGF's further evolution should be as an independent forum, independent even of the United Nations. The IGF somehow sustained itself though its multi-stakeholder discussion setting free of rules and procedures is completely opposite to UN way of working. So, UN may have to consider freeing the IGF as an independent forum but with total and full endorsement and of the UN, its member states as with the endorsement of other stakeholders. </div>
<div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>One question on which the IGC is in clear agreement is that the composition of the MAG itself should be more evenly divided between the stakeholder groups, rather than being slanted towards particular stakeholder groups as it is at present. </div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Are we in a position to provide facts and figures to substantiate the statement that the MAG is "slanted towards particular stakeholder groups as at present" ?</div><div> </div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div>Many also believe that the stakeholders should have a more direct role in the selection of MAG members,</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I believe that the MAG should have a dominant role in the selection of new members rather than allow this process happen beyond the purview of the MAG.</div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div> and that MAG discussions should be more transparent </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>MAG meetings are open and transcripts are published almost on the same day. Why are we discontent? Because the mailing list is a closed list? </div>
<div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div>- for example, perhaps it could revisit the idea of a second, open mailing list, on which the MAG and Secretariat can discuss their operations publicly.</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>We could ask for the mailing list to be opened up, but an open mailing list wouldn't effectively co-exist with a closed mailing list.</div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>One particular aspect of the IGF's operations in which the participation of stakeholders could be improved is in the making of decisions relating to the IGF's structure and processes. Many of the IGC's members believe that the MAG, drawing on input received at open consultation meetings, ought to exercise a greater influence than in the past on decisions about the future structure and processes of the IGF.</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>A second aspect in which there is room for further improvement in the accountability of the IGF to its stakeholders is in setting the substantive agenda of IGF meetings. Although at present this responsibility falls to the MAG, the IGC was surprised that for instance the very strongly and widely expressed views of stakeholders from civil society as to the importance of a human rights agenda for the IGF was not reflected in the agenda set by the MAG for the Sharm el Sheikh meeting.</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Here a specific issue is addressed which does not fit into the overall input which is on broader topics. Why are we talking specifically about how the human rights agenda was placed at Sharm el Sheikh?</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>The IGC also believes that the IGF ought to improve its orientation towards the development of tangible outputs, even if these do not amount to recommendations, declarations or statements (though many of our members would support outputs of such kinds). Whatever form its outputs take, efforts should be taken to ensure that they are transmitted to relevant external institutions, either by the MAG directly, through publications on the IGF's Web site, or through the media as appropriate.</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Some processes are already in place. What needs to be done is to fine tune these processes. </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>Similarly, there is a strong view within the IGC that in order to maximise its effectiveness, the IGF should have an intersessional work program, rather than being limited to a single annual meeting. Many of our members believe that this should include the development of an ongoing work program for the IGF as a whole, to be carried on through online tools and intersessional and regional meetings.</div>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>At the moment we could focus on emphasizing the continuation of the IGF and after this hurdle is passed, we can look deeper into its structure and pay attention to the tasks of re-designing the IGF if needed. </div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>Others believe that the main responsibility for intersessional work can be left to dynamic coalitions (and perhaps other issue-specific working groups). In that case, it is widely accepted that there should be a better mechanism than at present for these groups to present their outputs to the IGF as a whole. This would require the IGF to begin to set more stringent standards for such groups, including open membership, democratic processes, and perhaps multi-stakeholder composition.</div>
<div><br></div><div>We thank you for the opportunity to present you with these thoughts, which reflect a "rough consensus" of our several hundred members from civil society, with a wide spread of geographic and gender representation. We look forward to continuing to constructively engage with and participate in the IGF over the course of its renewed term.</div>
<div><br></div><div><b>About the IGC</b></div><div><br></div><div><div>The IGC is an association of individuals in civil society who are actively engaged in internet governance and the IGF. Formed during the lead up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), our mission is to promote global public interest objectives in Internet governance policy making. It now comprises more than 400 individual subscribers to its mailing list, who have subscribed to its Charter. More about our coalition can be found at http://<a href="http://www.igcaucus.org/" target="_blank">www.igcaucus.org</a>.</div>
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<b style="color:rgb(102, 102, 102)"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold">Jeremy Malcolm<br>Project Coordinator</span></font></b><font color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><br>
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