[governance] IGF Workshop: Human rights and principles: Practical Steps. TOMORROW

Sat Nov 14 09:46:51 EST 2009

Dear all 

I just wanted to draw your attention to our workshop tomorrow (Sunday) at 9.30 am.  All are welcome, in person and remotely via channel 6 here: http://www.un.org/webcast/igf/

Thanks,
Lisa

Human Rights and Principles in Internet Governance: Practical Steps

Workshop 314

2009 Internet Governance Forum, Sharm El Sheikh

Sunday 15th November, 09.30, Room 5.

The ongoing evolution of the internet and associated networked communications has profound implications for human rights.  New opportunities for fully realising our fundamental rights and freedoms have been unleashed by the development of new communication tools, platforms and practices.  However, new challenges have also arisen, for example with the emergence of new forms of surveillance and censorship.  There is an urgent need to develop strategies for protecting human rights in the internet age, whilst at the same time ensuring that internet governance fosters the continued development of an internet that supports their further realisation and expansion.  

This workshop will examine practical strategies for incorporating human rights standards into internet governance processes and policies.  Discussants will share their experiences of working on a wide range of initiatives that are helping to protect and expand human rights online, drawing out lessons learnt and emerging best practice.  The focus will be on challenges and opportunities for multi-stakeholder cooperation to create enabling environments and tools for the protection and promotion of human rights in the internet age.

All stakeholders are invited to contribute to what promises to be an engaging and lively discussion.  The workshop has been organised by Lisa Horner, Head of Research and Policy at Global Partners and Associates in the UK.  For more information, please email lisa at global-partners.co.uk.

Initiatives that will be explored during the workshop include:

The Global Network Initiative (GNI)

Discussants:

Rebecca MacKinnon, Global Voices/University of Hong Kong

Ebele Okobi-Harris, Yahoo! inc.

Launched in 2008, the GNI is a multi-stakeholder project that provides guidance to the ICT industry and its stakeholders on how to protect and advance freedom of expression and privacy.   The Initiative seeks to promote the rule of law and the adoption of laws, policies and practices that protect and respect freedom of expression and privacy through collaboration among companies, NGOs, investors and academics.  The Initiative has developed shared standards and guidelines which provide a systemic approach for companies facing government requests to protect the rights to freedom of expression and privacy of their users while respecting legitimate government authority. Over time, the aim is for the Principles and Implementation Guidelines to take root as a global standard for the ICT sector and to be adopted by companies worldwide, employed by diverse stakeholders for advancing human rights, and recognized by governments and international bodies.  

Participating companies commit to a number of measures upon joining the Initiative, including conducting human rights assessments and establishing internal teams to lead on implementing the Principles.  Civil society organisations, investors and academic participants also make a number of commitments, including the provision of expert advice and collaborative problem solving, and engagement with governments to promote the rule of law and policies that respect human rights.  Ebele Okobi-Harris and Rebecca Mackinnon will discuss the development and implementation of the initiative, focusing on the experiences and lessons learnt by members from different stakeholder groups.

Human Rights Guidelines for Internet Service Providers 

Discussants:  

Michael Truppe, Council of Europe Expert

Malcolm Hutty, EuroISPA/London Internet Exchange

In October 2008 the Council of Europe launched Human Rights Guidelines for Internet Service Providers, providing ISPs with practical advice on steps that they should take to uphold and advance human rights.  The guidelines were developed in cooperation with the European Association of Internet Service Providers (EuroISPA).  Michael Truppe and Malcolm Hutty will draw out lessons learnt from the process of drafting the guidelines, and will discuss challenges and opportunities for their application and implementation.  

Kenya  ICT Network 

Discussant: Alice Munyua, KICTANet

The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) was created in October 2004 by a group of organisations from the private and civil society sectors.  The aim of the network was to foster collaboration between stakeholders with different expertise and view points around the commonly shared concern of the need for an ICT policy in Kenya.  The network created an enabling environment for dialogue on ICT policy issues, and succeeded in accelerating the ICT policy and regulatory process.  The outcome was the inclusive and participatory drafting of Kenya's ICT Policy, and its adoption in March 2006.  Alice Munyua will discuss the challenges and opportunities that Kictanet faced, drawing out examples of best practice for collaborative policy initiatives elsewhere.

Code of Good Practice on information, participation and transparency in Internet Governance

Discussant: Michael Remmert, Council of Europe

The Council of Europe, UNECE and APC have drafted "A Code of Good Practice on information, participation and transparency in Internet Governance".   The draft is based on the WSIS principles and on existing arrangements in Internet Governance institutions and uses the Aarhus Convention as a benchmark where appropriate. It is the result of consultations with internet governance stakeholders during the IGF process since 2006 and of a comparative assessment of existing information and participation arrangements in a number of internet governance institutions Michael Remmert, Head of the Council of Europe's Project "Good Governance in the Information Society", will discuss the background to the initiative and plans for its implementation.  He will also consider the role that he envisages it playing in helping to foster internet governance that embodies and supports human rights.

Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council to the OECD

Discussant: Katitza Rodriguez, EPIC

In 2008, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) formalised the participation of civil society in the work of their Committee for Information Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) through the Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC).  The main purpose of the CSISAC is to contribute constructively to the policy work of the OECD-ICCP and to promote the exchange of information between the OECD civil society participants.  Katitza Rodriguez, from the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), is the CSISAC Liaison at the OECD ICCP Committee.  She will discuss the background to CSISAC, examining whether any lessons can be learnt from the process so far that could help to enhance multi-stakeholder cooperation in other international fora.

Charter of Human Rights and Principles on the Internet 

Discussant: Natasha Primo, APC

In 2001-2002, members and partner organisations of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) developed the APC Internet Rights Charter at "internet rights" workshops held in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa in 2001-2002.  The charter underwent revision in 2006, and is currently being redrafted collaboratively in cooperation with the Dynamic Coalition on Internet Rights and Principles as the Charter of Human Rights and Principles on the Internet.  The aim of the charter is to interpret what the standards of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights mean in the context of the internet, and to develop principles to foster the development of an internet that can support human rights.  Natasha Primo from APC will discuss how the charter has been used as a tool for civil society advocacy, and will examine the impact that it has had in practical terms.  She will also consider prospects for using the new revised charter as a platform for multi-stakeholder cooperation on human rights issues.

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