[bestbits] CIS' Statement on Sexual Harassment at ICANN55

[Jac sm Kee]

Extending support on this to Padmini Baruah and CIS. And thank you for
raising this important issue. At the last IGF, the Gender Dynamic
Coalition also spoke about sexual harassment at the IGF and the need to
formulate a formal policy and process for complaints and redress. It
helps to create a respectful and non-discriminatory environment for
diverse stakeholders to participate in. This makes it both timely and
needed. Also extending support to ICANN for making this happen.

Best regards,
jac


---------------------------------
Jac sm Kee
Manager, Women's Rights Programme
Association for Progressive Communications
www.apc.org | www.takebackthetech.net | erotics.apc.org
Jitsi: jacsmk | Skype: jacsmk | Twitter: @jhybe

On 21/03/2016 19:00, Sunil Abraham wrote:
> The Centre for Internet and Society
> 
> Statement on Sexual Harassment at ICANN55
> 
> 
> The Centre for Internet and Society (“CIS”) strongly condemns the acts
> of sexual harassment that took place against one of our representatives,
> Ms. Padmini Baruah, during ICANN 55 in Marrakech. It is completely
> unacceptable that an event the scale of an ICANN meeting does not have
> in place a formal redressal system, a neutral point of contact or even a
> policy for complainants who have been put through the ordeal of sexual
> harassment. ICANN cannot claim to be inclusive or diverse if it does not
> formally recognise a specific procedure or recourse under such instances.
> 
> 
> Ms. Baruah is by no means the first young woman to be subject to such
> treatment at an ICANN event, but she isthe first to raise a
> formalcomplaint. Following the incident, she was given no immediate
> remedy or formal recourse, and that has left her with no option but to
> make the incident publicly known in the interim. The ombudsman’s office
> has been in touch with her, but this administrative process is simply
> inadequate for rights-violations.
> 
> 
> Ms. Baruah has received support from various community, staff, and board
> members. While we are thankful for their support, we believe that this
> situation can be better dealt with through some positive measures. We
> ask that ICANN carry out the following steps in order to make its
> meetings a truly safe and inclusive space:
> 
> 
>  1.
> 
>     Institute a formal redressal system and policy with regard to sexual
>     harassment within ICANN. The policy must be displayed on the ICANN
>     website, at the venue of meetings and made available in delegate kits.
> 
>  2.
> 
>     Institute an Anti Sexual Harassment Committee that is neutral and
>     approachable. Merely having an ombudsman who is a white male,
>     however well intentioned, is inadequate and completely unhelpful to
>     the complainant. The present situation is one where the ombudsman
>     has no effective power and only advises the board.
> 
>  3.
> 
>     Conduct periodic gender and sexual harassment training of the ICANN
>     board to help them better understand these issues.
> 
>  4.
> 
>     Conduct periodic gender and sexual harassment training for the
>     ombudsman even if he/she will not be the exclusive point of contact
>     for complainants as the ombudsman forms an important part of
>     community and participant engagement.
> 
>  5.
> 
>     Conduct periodic gender sensitisation for the ICANN community.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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