[governance] IGF workshop: Internet for All

[Michael Gurstein]

I think that Karen who seems to be off line sent an earlier version of this.

"Internet for All - Exploring a Rights-based Approach"
Internet for All is the proposed theme for the IGF, Hyderabad and is adapted
from UNESCO's 'Education for All' initiative. 'Education for All' takes a
rights based approach to education and presents nuanced view the enabling
conditions for providing education for all
(http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=47044&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&U
RL_SECTION=201.html ) . The proposed "Internet for All-Exploring a
Rights-based Approach" workshop will explore what a 'Rights-based' approach
to Internet for All (including other related concepts such as e-Inclusion
and 'Universal Service') would mean and whether it could provide the basis
for Internet policy in this area. 

Universal service and universal access are widely accepted telecom policy
principles. However, these are less clear in area of the Internet where the
Internet involves areas of much more active 'use' and multi-layered types of
interaction and development than the simple connection' with the telephone.
To mention only one aspect of this a draft resolution recommended for ECOSOC
by the 11th session of the CSTD
http://www.unctad.org/sections/wcmu/docs//ecn162008_r004_en.pdf recently
noted that 'a new form of digital divide is emerging in terms of difference
in quality and speed of access to ICTs' (the OECD has also been grappling
with definitional issues regarding universal access in terms of the Internet
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/32/57/40629067.pdf ).

Other issues to be explored from a 'rights' perspective include a
determination of the enabling conditions for realizing effective use of the
available 'access' and the characteristics of the Internet to which one has
access. A rights based approach to "Internet for All' or what may be
referred to as a 'right to the Internet' may include issues that go beyond
mere access as for example the enabling conditions such as training,
capacity building and the development of the social, organizational, and
managerial infrastructure that can make access meaningful and useful. The
"Education for All' movement recognizes that conditions such as these are
pertinent to ensuring education for all beyond simple access to schools.. 

This corresponds to quality and appropriateness of the substantive content
and presentation of the Internet - language including use of non-Roman
scripts are of particular significance here and correspond in the 'education
for all' context to what is spoken of in a recent UNESCO document as 'the
right to learn in the mother tongue'
(http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001297/129728e.pdf). 

The WSIS declaration of Principles speaks of an "information society where
everyone can create, access, utilize and share information". Does this
translate into a right to do so? What would be the implications of a right
on Internet policies, for instance with respect to the network neutrality
debate. Similarly, issues such as online security, privacy and FoE may be
possible to explore from a rights perspective in the context of the possible
significance in enabling or restricting an 'Internet for all'.  

A further set of issues more directly linked to an e-Inclusion definition of
'Internet for all' would include groups needing special consideration such
as people with disabilities, whose right to access to 'new information and
communications technologies and systems, including the Internet' as is
recognized by the recently concluded 'International Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities'. 


-----Original Message-----
From: karen banks [mailto:karenb at gn.apc.org] 
Sent: July 1, 2008 2:17 AM
To: governance at lists.cpsr.org
Subject: [governance] IGF workshop: Internet for All


Hi everyone

Please find below a reworked text for the 
'internet for all' workshop - which has evolved 
and in fact changed focus significantly since first posted to the caucus
list.

The caucus group working on this proposal 
(internet for all) have also been working with 
the Bill of Rights Coalition - who are 
submitting  a 'mainstreaming-rights-into-IGF proposal'

We have discussed at length how best to approach 
human rights and IG - how to bring a rights 
perspective to the IGF - and we will have a long 
way to go - but it is certainly a good start.

The caucus folk and Bill of Rights folk will also 
express inhterest in helping to shape the main 
session of openness, security and privacy

The proposal below is not in the workshop 
proposal format (yet) but parminder has asked the 
secretariat for a short extension - wherein we 
will need to get the proposal into the template and identify some speakers..

karen

"Internet for All - Exploring a Rights-based Approach"

Internet for All has been proposed as the overall 
theme for the IGF, Hyderabad. The program 
document also states that this description is 
adapted from the UNESCO's 'Education for All' 
initiative. Education for All takes a rights 
based approach to education, and also a very 
nuanced view of 'what kind of education' as well 
as the enabling conditions that are required for 
providing education for all ( 
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=47044&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&UR
L_SECTION=201.html 
) . This workshop will explore what does a 
'Rights-based Approach to Internet for All' 
means, and whether it provides the basis of an 
appropriate and viable set of guidelines in the area of Internet policies.

Universal service and universal access are widely 
accepted policy principles in case of telecom 
policies. However, the meaning and context of 
these terms in case of Internet is still not 
clear. Unlike telephony, Internet is much more 
than a 'connection' that 'either you have or you 
don't'. A draft resolution recommended by the 
11th session of CSTD for adoption by the ECOSOC 
(http://www.unctad.org/sections/wcmu/docs//ecn162008_r004_en.pdf 
) recently noted that 'a new form of digital 
divide is emerging in terms of difference in 
quality and speed of access to ICTs' ( OECD has 
also been grappling with definitional issues 
regarding universal access in terms of the 
Internet ( http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/32/57/40629067.pdf ).

Apart from the issues about what width of the 
pipe can constitute universal entitlement or a 
right, if at all, there are also at least two 
other sets of issues which need to be explored 
from a rights perspective (1) enabling conditions 
for making effective use of the available access 
and (2) the kind of the Internet one has access 
to.  A rights based approach to "Internet for 
All' or what may be called as a 'right to the 
Internet' therefore has to explored in terms of 
many issues that go beyond mere access to the 
Internet, while including this important element.

Enabling conditions could be in terms of training 
and capacity building as well as the social, 
organizational, and managerial infrastructure. 
The "Education for All' movement recognizes such 
conditions that are outside and beyond mere 
access to schools which are pertinent to ensuring education for all.

Other set of issues are about what kind of 
Internet does one have access to. This 
corresponds to quality and appropriateness of 
education in the 'education for all' movement. 
For instance, is one entitled to an Internet that 
recognizes one's own language? It is significant 
to note in this respect that a recent UNESCO 
document speaks about ''the right to learn in the 
mother tongue' ( 
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001297/129728e.pdf 
). The WSIS declaration of Principles speaks of 
an "information society where everyone can 
create, access, utilize and share information". 
Does it translate into a right to do so? What 
implication would such a right have on Internet 
policies, for instance with respect to network 
neutrality debate. Similarly, issues like online 
security, privacy and FoE may be possible to 
explore from a rights perspective to 'Internet for all'.

Another set of issues are with respect to groups 
needing special consideration like people with 
disabilities, whose right to access to 'new 
information and communications technologies and 
systems, including the Internet' is recognized by 
the 'International Convention on the Rights of 
Persons with Disabilities' which came into force recently. 

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