[governance] barriers (was Re: Action...)

[l.d.misek-falkoff]

Briefly for perhaps later expansion, I certainly agree with you Norbert
- about poverty and about addressing barriers wherever they occur.

An  extended  observation and support is that  - indeed  *duties* are
usually associated with proactive recognition of *rights*, not just per se "
*needs*."  (The *rights/duties* analyses can pertain to those having the *
rights* also having *duties*, or people having *duties* respecting others' *
rights*. And etc)

Good news is that massaging these messages towards *rights*-based analyses,
among other points in your posts or derivable from them, pertains very much
both to (a) foresight and planning in *policy*, and also to (b) resulting *
deliverables* being more practical, affordable, explainable, understandable,
maintainable,  and friendly to evaluation and repair or revision down-line.


Some responsive thoughts, open to correction or emendation,
and sin ding  best wishes and continuing new years greetings, LDMF.

On 1/15/07, Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch> wrote:
>
> l.d.misek-falkoff <ldmisekfalkoff at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > people are developing all over the world and at all times.  Ever
> > will it be so.  There is a concept of a critical average or base
> > line, and we must be *very* attentive to countries, regions, and
> > localities where very large numbers of persons face barriers, and of
> > all sorts.
>
> This is very true - such countries, regions, and localities are likely
> to get caught in a poverty trap unless action is taken from outside
> these disadvantaged areas to make sure that at least some genuine
> opportunities for sustainable economic success are made available to
> people living in those areas.
>
> I strongly agree with Linda's exhortation to be "*very* attentive".
>
> It seems to me that very often the attention that is given is very
> one-sided on providing some tangible and intangible assets that are
> helpful for overcoming barriers and for having opportunities.  For
> example education, internet access, capacity building for all kinds
> of governance, etc.  All this is very good and valuable and needed.
>
> But I feel that very often not enough attention is paid to reducing
> the economic mechanisms through which many of these barriers come
> into being in the first place.  Some of these barriers are even
> created intentionally by powerful companies, and the governments of
> the countries where these companies pay their taxes make compliance
> with these barriers a condition of "free trade agreements" and the
> like.
>
> > Often, however, right around us there is great need and
> > where there is need there is duty.  And  splendorous opportunity as
> > well.
>
> In this area I'd like to make a somewhat stronger statement:  In the
> field of internet governance we have duties which go beyond reacting
> to "great needs".  We also have a duty to be proactive.  For example,
> as far as I know, all the significant technological barriers which
> hinder people with disabilities from fully participating in the
> information society could have been avoided by proactively evaluating
> proposed changes to the technology landscape concerning the likely
> impact on people with disabilities, and making appropriate
> adjustments.
>
> If the IGF fails to result in a strong realization of the importance
> of such proactive consideration of the needs of people with
> disabilities and countries with poor infrastructure conditions and
> weak educational systems (the so-called "third world" countries),
> then the IGF has in my opinion totally gone astray and become a series
> of conferences without any significant long-term relevance.  I am
> currently somewhat pessimistic in regard to the chances of the IGF
> being able to avoid this fate.
>
> Consequently, because I don't see much reason to hope that something
> viable with long-term relevance will come out of the IGF, I'll focus
> my attention on trying to create an entity which can be influential in
> internet governance in a reasonable (proactive as well as reactive)
> way.  This "entity" will be an open business alliance (of mainly
> European information tenchnology businesses) called the "Internet
> Freedom Governance Initiative".  There are a few more details at
> http://IFGI.eu .
>
> Greetings,
> Norbert.
>
>
> --
> Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch>                    http://Norbert.ch
> President of the Swiss Internet User Group SIUG  http://SIUG.ch
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