[governance] New version of WSIS CS statement: Two IG issues

[Jeanette Hofmann]

Hi Bill,

regarding your first suggestion to add our stuff to the list of major 
goals, it seems this is a question of political preferences and weight. 
We can certainly suggest this addition but so might 10 other caucuses 
who believe that gender issues, community radios and other vital issues 
constitute crucial goals. In other words, this is for the editor to decide.

2. IG caucus participation: I like your wording but wonder whether we 
should be so specific about the working group we are discussing. Do we 
have already agreement on the scope of the working group? I am not 
convinced yet that the wg should solely focus on "modalities". So why 
not something like "...create a working group that will make 
recommendations on relevant aspects concerning the IGF".

I agree with your points re "public good".

jeanette


> Two thoughts for the caucus regarding the IG elements of the overall text
> Ralf just circulated on Plenary.  He wants to finalize this by Friday.
> 
> First, on pg 1:
> 
> "Civil society entered the Tunis Phase of WSIS with these major goals:
> ·	Agreement on financing mechanisms and models that will close the growing
> gaps in access to information and communication tools, capacities and
> infrastructure that exist between countries, and in many cases within
> countries.
> ·	Ensuring that our vision of the ‘information society’ is human-centred,
> framed by a global commitment to human rights, social justice and
> inclusive development.
> ·	Achieving a sea change in perceptions of participatory decision-making.
> We wanted the WSIS to be a milestone from which the inclusion of civil
> society participation would become more comprehensive and integrated at
> all levels of governance and decision making at local, national, regional
> and global levels.
> ·	Agreement on strong commitment to the centrality of human rights,
> especially the right to access and depart information and to retaining
> individual privacy."
> 
> Suggest the addition of:
> 
> *Agreement on a substantively broad and procedurally inclusive approach to
> Internet governance, the reform of existing governance mechanisms in
> accordance with the Geneva principles, and the creation of a new mechanism
> or forum to promote multistakeholder dialogue, analysis, trend monitoring,
> and capacity building in the field of Internet governance."
> 
> [certainly these were goals going in for a number of us]
> 
> Second, on p.10:
> 
> "Element two: Involvement in the Internet Governance Forum
> In specific reference to the Internet Governance Forum, in addition to
> continuing to develop the consensus notion of the CS Internet Governance
> caucus, discussions are under way to create a new working group that will
> focus on making recommendations on the modalities of the new forum."
> 
> How about the following:
> 
> ""Element two: Involvement in the Internet Governance Forum
> The CS Internet Governance Caucus will actively participate in and support
> the work of the IGF, and is exploring ways to enhance its working methods
> and engagement with relevant stakeholders, especially the research
> community, to these ends.  In addition, discussions are under way to
> create a new working group that will make recommendations on the
> modalities of the IGF."
> 
> [there's a strong expectation/hope, per the WGIG report, that a
> scholarly/academic network will develop around the IGF to provide
> analytical support, and it is arguably desirable that caucus provides one
> of the key focal points for that.]
> 
> ---
> 
> Lastly, while this doesn't pertain to the IG sections of the text, I have
> a question:
> 
> Pg. 1:"societies in which the ability to access, share and communicate
> information and knowledge is treated as a public good"
> 
> Pg. 2: "Internet access, for everybody and everywhere, especially among
> disadvantaged populations and in rural areas, must be considered as a
> global public good."
> 
> Can someone explain to me according to what understanding of economics CS
> should declare an ability, or Internet access, to be public goods, bearing
> in mind the two key dimensions thereof:
> 
> Non-rivalrous — its benefits fail to exhibit consumption scarcity; once it
> has been produced, everyone can benefit from it without diminishing
> other's enjoyment.
> Non-excludable — once it has been created, it is very difficult, if not
> impossible, to prevent access to the good.
> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good
> 
> Best,
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
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