The Swedish Government was also responsible for getting it onto the Agenda:<br><br><br>See: <a href="http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/15079/a/176945?setEnableCookies=true">http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/15079/a/176945?setEnableCookies=true</a><br>
<br><br><h1>Swedish success in Geneva for freedom of expression on the Internet</h1>
<p class="lead">On Thursday, the UN Human Rights Council
adopted by consensus a decision to arrange a panel discussion on freedom
of expression on the Internet at its next session in March 2012. The
decision was adopted on the initiative of Sweden, with the support of
over fifty states from throughout the world. This will be the first time
that the Council discusses the issue of freedom of expression on the
Internet. </p>
<p class="first">"This is a major success for
Sweden, which has pushed for the human rights issue to apply online as
well as offline", says Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, the UN Special Rapporteur
on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and
expression, Frank La Rue, presented a report on freedom of expression on
the Internet. At the UN Human Rights Council's session in June,
Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt gave a speech in support of
several of the conclusions presented in La Rue's report. Sweden's
address won the support of a number of influential countries, including
India, Brazil and South Africa.</p>
This is the background to how, at its 18th
session which will conclude today, the Council was able to decide to
invite a panel of experts and representatives of governments, the UN
system, the business sector and civil society to discuss the issue. This
means that the issue of freedom of expression on the Internet will be
placed on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council for the first time. <br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 6:12 AM, Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro@gmail.com">salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Dear All,<br><br>We can also put together a Statement before the 29th February, 2012 and use the link that Joy sent us to draw resources from. I also note that there has been alot of discussions around this theme specifically over the years.<br>
<br>We can capture these thoughts in a statement. Any volunteers to put together a first draft for others to comment.<br><br>Kind Regards,<br>Sala<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 5:55 AM, Shahzad Ahmad <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:shahzad@bytesforall.pk" target="_blank">shahzad@bytesforall.pk</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Dear Robert,<br>
<br>
What exactly is the argument against human rights as an IGF theme? Kindly do send a bit of background from the MAG consultation, if possible.<br>
<br>
Best wishes & regards<br>
Shahzad<br>
<br>
Sent from my iPhone<br>
<div><div><br>
On Feb 19, 2012, at 10:19 PM, Robert Guerra <<a href="mailto:rguerra@privaterra.org" target="_blank">rguerra@privaterra.org</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
> Brett,<br>
><br>
> In regards to recommendation #3 - that "The Internet Governance Forum should be encouraged to make human rights its central theme", well, that was proposed at the open IGF MAG meeting that took place in Geneva this past week. Unfortunately, there was a lack of consensus on the proposal and it was not accepted.<br>
><br>
> As an alternative, many of the Civil Society participants in the meeting have suggested that Human Rights be one of the cross cutting themes at the 2012 IGF. That alternative<br>
> is still being discussed.<br>
><br>
> Between now and the next open consultation in May a coordinated effort is needed to make sure the existing MAG keeps that option open.<br>
><br>
> regards<br>
><br>
> Robert<br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> R. Guerra<br>
> Phone/Cell: <a href="tel:%2B1%20202-905-2081" value="+12029052081" target="_blank">+1 202-905-2081</a><br>
> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/netfreedom" target="_blank">twitter.com/netfreedom</a><br>
> Email: <a href="mailto:rguerra@privaterra.org" target="_blank">rguerra@privaterra.org</a><br>
><br>
> On 2012-02-19, at 12:06 PM, Brett Solomon wrote:<br>
><br>
>> Thanks Joy,<br>
>><br>
>> Access put in a submission to the Human Rights Council ahead of the High Level Panel on the Right to Freedom of Expression on the Internet (Feb 29).<br>
>><br>
>> We decided to focus on digital security as a precursor for the realization of Article 19 online, because without digital security, civil society groups and human rights defenders in particular cannot act with confidence, express their opinions safely or gain online access to the broader constellation of human rights.<br>
>><br>
>> For those who are interested, our brief submission and recommendations can be found here:<br>
>><br>
>> <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/policy-activism/press-blog/access-tells-the-human-rights-council-to-protect-digital-rights" target="_blank">https://www.accessnow.org/policy-activism/press-blog/access-tells-the-human-rights-council-to-protect-digital-rights</a><br>
>><br>
>> It'd be good to know who else is planning to be in Geneva for the actual Panel.<br>
>><br>
>> Brett<br>
>><br>
>> --<br>
>> Brett Solomon<br>
>> Executive Director | Access<br>
>> <a href="http://accessnow.org" target="_blank">accessnow.org</a> | <a href="http://rightscon.org" target="_blank">rightscon.org</a><br>
>> <a href="tel:%2B1%20917%20969%206077" value="+19179696077" target="_blank">+1 917 969 6077</a> | skype: brettsolomon | @accessnow<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 7:50 PM, Joy Liddicoat <<a href="mailto:joy@apc.org" target="_blank">joy@apc.org</a>> wrote:<br>
>> Dear colleagues,<br>
>><br>
>> This is a heads up about a forthcoming event at the UN Human Rights Council (and apologies for any double ups in list postings).<br>
>><br>
>> Following on from the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression’s annual report in 2011, an expert panel is being held during HRC 19. The session will take place on Wed 29 Feb and is being organised by the government of Sweden and OHCHR. APC will be attending and participating in the panel event.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> We would like to reach out to others to find out who else might be planning on attending or making submissions (which are due Monday 13 Feb) and, if so, how we might be able to collaborate or support these. If you are making submissions or statements, we would encourage you to draw on and cite <a href="http://www.giswatch.org" target="_blank">www.giswatch.org</a> released in December 2011 which includes 55 country reports and other material as well as an introduction from Frank La Rue.<br>
>><br>
>> If you are planning other activities, campaigns or events around the panel, please do let us know so that we can support or collaborate if possible.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Kind regards<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Joy Liddicoat<br>
>><br>
>> Project Coordinator<br>
>><br>
>> Internet Rights are Human Rights<br>
>><br>
>> <a href="http://www.apc.org" target="_blank">www.apc.org</a><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br></div></div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">-- <br><div>Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala</div><div><br></div><div>Tweeter: @SalanietaT</div><div>Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro</div>
<div>Cell: <a href="tel:%2B679%20998%202851" value="+6799982851" target="_blank">+679 998 2851</a></div><div>
</div><div><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="line-height:16px"><br></span></font></div><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div>Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala</div><div><br></div><div>Tweeter: @SalanietaT</div><div>Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro</div><div>Cell: +679 998 2851</div>
<div> </div><div><font color="#222222" face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="line-height:16px"><br></span></font></div><br>