[governance] ITU statement last call

[mgurst at vcn.bc.ca]

Bill,

Please add my name,

Michael Gurstein, Ph.D.
Chair: Community Informatics Research Network

Best,

MG

> Hi,
>
> Having shifted from an individual to group statement, I can't help
> thinking this would be more effective if there was more of a group
> associated with it.   Twelve names is ok, but more would be merrier.  I
> will submit it when I wake up tomorrow morning, if anyone else wants to
> join please let me know privately before then.
>
> Thanks
>
> Bill
>
>
>
> Statement by members of the WSIS-civil society Internet Governance Caucus
>
>
>
> Submitted for the WG-WSIS ITU Reform Meeting
>
> 1 February 2006
>
>
>
>
>
> The WSIS Principles state that Internet governance should be multilateral,
> transparent and democratic, with the full involvement of governments, the
> private sector, civil society and international organizations.  The ITU
> clearly does not meet the last criteria.  For the overwhelming majority of
> civil society organizations and individual academics, the barriers to
> becoming a sector member or even an associate are simply too high to
> overcome.  In parallel, there are no options for participating on a more
> flexible, ad hoc basis in special workshops and seminars, or in the
> assemblies and conferences.  In consequence, and unlike other UN agencies,
> true NGOs (as opposed to hybrid business/user/technical organizations) are
> almost entirely absent and alienated from the ITU.   That this is not in
> the ITU’s own interest was demonstrated by the WSIS process, in which
> civil society opposed the ITU playing an expanded, leading role in
> Internet governance.
>
>
>
> With WSIS follow-up and implementation efforts forthcoming, now would be a
> particularly appropriate time to make opening up to civil society a
> central element of ITU reform.  Doing so would not in any way disrupt the
> work of the Union, and the administrative cost would be negligible (we can
> print our own documents, etc).  The ITU would not face a stampede of
> hundreds of organizations seeking to participate in ongoing study group
> work on frequency propagation, signaling requirements and protocols, and
> other technical matters.  A much more likely scenario would be that a
> manageable number of NGOs and academics would seek to participate in some
> of the above-mentioned workshops, seminars, assemblies and conferences.
> Civil society experts contributed significantly to the success of the
> February 2004 workshop on Internet governance, and there is every reason
> to believe that same constructive engagement would ensue in other forums.
> Allowing civil society participation in events like the March 2006 meeting
> on NGN policies would be a good first step, and would not require changes
> to the Constitution and Convention.  WSIS and/or ECOSOC accreditation
> would seem sufficient for this purpose.
>
>
>
> It is unfortunate that the ITU’s February 1 reform meeting is closed to
> civil society participation.  Our exclusion from this and similar events
> has been debated extensively on civil society Internet listservs.  There
> was little enthusiasm for the website’s cheery invitation to “be part of
> it” by submitting statements in this “open forum” for a meeting from which
> we are barred.  If however the ITU were to initiate a genuine, open and
> inclusive dialogue on the matter, the response would be much more
> supportive.
>
>
>
>
>
> Dr. William Drake
>
> Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility/
>
> Graduate Institute for International Studies, Geneva
>
>
>
> Dr. Wolfgang Kleinwächter
>
> University of Aarhus
>
>
>
> McTim
>
> Internet Infrastructure Consultant
>
>
>
> Dr. Lee McKnight
>
> Syracuse University/Internet Governance Project
>
>
>
> Parminder Jeet Singh
>
> IT for Change
>
>
>
> Dr. Jeanette Hofmann
>
> Social Science Research Center, Berlin
>
>
>
> Avri Doria
>
> Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility/
>
> Nomadic Women's ICT Network
>
>
>
> Robert Guerra
>
> Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility/
>
> Privaterra
>
>
>
> Dr. Ralf Bendrath
>
> www.worldsummit2005.org
>
>
>
> Max Senges
>
> Committee for a Democratic United Nations
>
>
>
> Veni Markovski
>
> Internet Society, Bulgaria
>
>
>
> Karen Banks
>
> Association for Progressive Communications
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