[governance] IGC statement REVISION 2.0: any further comments?

[Jeanette Hofmann]

Hi Jeremy, thanks for posting an updated version. You did not include 
Ian's comments did you?

I have more issues with the text, I just havn't posted them yet since I 
thought we would proceed para by para.

jeanette



Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
> *Submission of the IGC in taking stock of the Sharm el Sheikh meeting of 
> the IGF*
> 
> The Internet Governance Caucus (IGC) strongly supports the continuation 
> of the IGF as a multi-stakeholder forum for the discussion of 
> Internet-related public policy issues.  However if, as we hope, the 
> forum's mandate is to be extended for a further term, there are a number 
> of adjustments that we believe should be taken into account, continuing 
> the IGF's pattern of incremental improvement since its inauguration in 
> 2006.  None of these suggestions would fundamentally alter the IGF as an 
> institution; thus for example, we believe it should remain formally 
> convened by the UN Secretary General, with an independent budget and a 
> Secretariat under contract with the United Nations Department 
> of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
> 
> One question on which the IGC is in clear agreement is that the 
> composition of the MAG itself should be more evenly divided between the 
> stakeholder groups, rather than being slanted towards particular 
> stakeholder groups as it is at present.  Many also believe that the 
> stakeholders should have a more direct role in the selection of MAG 
> members, and that MAG discussions should be more transparent - for 
> example, perhaps it could revisit the idea of a second, open mailing 
> list, on which the MAG and Secretariat can discuss their operations 
> publicly.
> 
> One particular aspect of the IGF's operations in which the participation 
> of stakeholders could be improved is in the making of decisions relating 
> to the IGF's structure and processes.  Many of the IGC's members believe 
> that the MAG, drawing on input received at open consultation meetings, 
> ought to exercise a greater influence than in the past on decisions 
> about the future structure and processes of the IGF.
> 
> A second aspect in which there is room for further improvement in the 
> accountability of the IGF to its stakeholders is in setting the 
> substantive agenda of IGF meetings.  Although at present this 
> responsibility falls to the MAG, the IGC was surprised that for instance 
> the very strongly and widely expressed views of stakeholders from civil 
> society as to the importance of a human rights agenda for the IGF was 
> not reflected in the agenda set by the MAG for the Sharm el Sheikh meeting.
> 
> The IGC also believes that the IGF ought to improve its orientation 
> towards the development of tangible outputs, even if these do not amount 
> to recommendations, declarations or statements (though many of our 
> members would support outputs of such kinds).  Whatever form its outputs 
> take, efforts should be taken to ensure that they are transmitted to 
> relevant external institutions, either by the MAG directly, through 
> publications on the IGF's Web site, or through the media as appropriate.
> 
> Similarly, there is a strong view within the IGC that in order to 
> maximise its effectiveness, the IGF should have an intersessional work 
> program, rather than being limited to a single annual meeting.  Many of 
> our members believe that this should include the development of an 
> ongoing work program for the IGF as a whole, to be carried on through 
> online tools and intersessional and regional meetings.
> 
> Others believe that the main responsibility for intersessional work can 
> be left to dynamic coalitions (and perhaps other issue-specific working 
> groups).  In that case, it is widely accepted that there should be a 
> better mechanism than at present for these groups to present their 
> outputs to the IGF as a whole.  This would require the IGF to begin to 
> set more stringent standards for such groups, including open membership, 
> democratic processes, and perhaps multi-stakeholder composition.
> 
> We thank you for the opportunity to present you with these thoughts, 
> which reflect a "rough consensus" of our several hundred members from 
> civil society, with a wide spread of geographic and gender 
> representation.  We look forward to continuing to constructively engage 
> with and participate in the IGF over the course of its renewed term.
> 
> *About the IGC*
> 
> The IGC is an association of individuals in civil society who are 
> actively engaged in internet governance and the IGF. Formed during the 
> lead up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), our 
> mission is to promote global public interest objectives in Internet 
> governance policy making. It now comprises more than 400 individual 
> subscribers to its mailing list, who have subscribed to its Charter. 
>  More about our coalition can be found at http://www.igcaucus.org 
> <http://www.igcaucus.org/>.
> 
> -- 
> 
> *Jeremy Malcolm
> Project Coordinator*
> Consumers International
> Kuala Lumpur Office for Asia Pacific and the Middle East
> Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, 
> Malaysia
> Tel: +60 3 7726 1599
> 
> *CI is 50*
> Consumers International marks 50 years of the global consumer movement 
> in 2010.
> Celebrate with us as we continue to support, promote and protect 
> consumer rights around the world. 
> _http://www.consumersinternational.org/50_
> 
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