[governance] Statement by IGC supporting rights and principles

[Lisa Horner]

Hi all

Thanks to everyone for their comments and edits to the statement.  Please find a new version below - I hope it addresses everyone's concerns.  I suggest that we take further comments until Thursday, and then agree on a finalised version.

List coordinators - I'm not sure if we need to take a formal vote on this before it can be accepted and submitted?

I'm happy to contact the DCs to ask if they'd like to co-sign it.

Thanks,
Lisa

DRAFT STATEMENT - RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES

The Caucus [and undersigned DCs] repeat their request that the programme for IGF-4 in Egypt gives the required attention to human rights.  The WSIS Declaration and Tunis Agenda reaffirmed the centrality of human rights in the information society, but human rights and associated principles have received very little attention at the IGF so far.  This is problematic as:
•	Fundamental human right such as the rights to freedom of expression, privacy and education are threatened by current internet governance processes and practice.
•	The internet presents new opportunities for upholding and advancing human rights, for example through enhancing access to knowledge and resources. It is vital that we build on and enhance these opportunities.
•	The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights are legally binding.  Governments who have signed these covenants have a legal obligation and responsibility to uphold their citizens' human rights actively, in the Internet era as before.
•	The human rights framework is an internationally agreed set of standards that has practical as well as ethical value.  It balances different rights against each other to preserve individual and public interest.  As well as having legally binding implications, the framework is therefore a useful tool for addressing internet governance issues, such as how to deal with security concerns on the internet in compliance with the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.  Besides stating the obligations of states and governments, the framework also allows us to derive the rights and responsibilities of other stakeholders.   

The Internet Governance Caucus [and undersigned DCs] call for human rights standards to be included in the planning and implementation of all IGF sessions, so that they are given the attention they deserve as cross-cutting issues.  This should include explicit consideration of how global, regional and national policies affect fundamental rights, and the development of positive policy principles to build an open and accessible internet for all.  The Caucus [and undersigned DCs] would like to offer assistance to the organisers of the main plenary sessions to do this, and would like to support all stakeholders through providing access to relevant guidelines and experts.


 

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