[governance] < 24 hours remaining to vote YES + thematic working

[Tracy F. Hackshaw @ Google]

Yes + thematic working groups

On 1/30/10, Jeremy Malcolm <jeremy at ciroap.org> wrote:
> If you have not voted on the IGC statement for the next open consultation
> meeting, please vote now.  At present the statement might not pass the
> consensus call - not because there has been a lot of opposition to it, but
> because the total number of responses is still relatively low.
>
> Please also remember that we have another thread in which to discuss the
> agenda for the Vilnius meeting: so far there has been no response to
> Parminder's suggestion of a theme on "Network Neutrality/Open Internet".
>
> Here once again is the statement on which we have a consensus call.
> Everyone who has voted YES so far has been contacted off-list to clarify
> their attitude towards thematic working groups - none have yet changed their
> vote.
>
> Please vote:
>
> YES + thematic working groups to accept the statement as shown here
> YES to accept the statement without the [underlined passage]
> NO to reject the statement
>
> 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 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) as a multi-stakeholder forum for the
> discussion of Internet-related public policy issues.  When, as we expect,
> the forum's mandate is 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; for example, we are content that it 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).  We do not see any benefit to the IGF in moving underneath a
> different UN body such as the ITU.
>
> One question on which the IGC is in clear agreement is that the composition
> of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) itself should be more evenly
> divided between the stakeholder groups.  Many also believe that the
> stakeholders should have a more direct role in the selection of MAG members,
> and that MAG discussions should continue to be made more transparent.
>
> One particular aspect of the IGF's operations in which the participation of
> stakeholders could be improved is in setting the substantive agenda of IGF
> meetings.  We understand that the MAG might not be rotated this year (though
> in our view the uncertainty about the IGF's future need not preclude that).
> If a rotation does not take place, care must be taken that this does not
> result in the programme for the Vilnius meeting being prematurely set in
> stone.  [[The IGC is ready to make innovative contributions to enhance the
> present "Secretariat-MAG-Open Consultation" mechanism for the preparation of
> IGF meetings.]]
>
> The IGF should also consider how to improve its orientation towards the
> development of tangible outputs, even if these would amount to "messages"
> rather than to recommendations, declarations or statements (though many of
> our members would also support outputs of these stronger kinds).  Whatever
> form its outputs take, efforts should be taken to ensure that they are
> transmitted to relevant external institutions through appropriate
> mechanisms.
>
> Similarly, attention must be given to the effectiveness of the IGF's
> intersessional work program, which is currently limited to open
> consultations, MAG meetings, dynamic coalition meetings, and loosely
> connected national and regional meetings.  In particular, there should be a
> better mechanism than at present for these other groups and meetings to
> present their outputs to the IGF as a whole.  This would require the IGF to
> set more stringent standards for such groups and meetings, including open
> membership, democratic processes, and perhaps multi-stakeholder composition.
>
> [The MAG should also organize thematic working groups to develop background
> material, IGF discussion synthesis etc on major themes selected to be taken
> up by the IGF.]
>
> 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.  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, with a wide
> spread of geographic and gender representation, 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.
>
> --
> 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
>
> Read our email confidentiality notice. Don't print this email unless
> necessary.
>
>

-- 
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