[governance] WGIGF inputs
parminder
parminder at itforchange.net
Wed Jan 26 03:35:32 EST 2011
Hi Marilia
"One of the most important shortcomings when we think about the IGF
is that it did not satisfactorily fulfill the role of being a
facilitator for policy development. Improving the IGF dynamics in a
way that is can provide multistakeholder input for policy
development should be one of main goals in our current exercise."
Completely agree. And this is the main subject of the email I just sent
out. Maybe just a little too much steeped in a historical analysis of
what has been happening at the IGF and why. However, I think these
practical details are important if we are to have any real hope of real
improvements.
Also, to respond to the rest of your email, I have no doubt that once
our thinking is informed by the larger issues, it directly connects to
responses to the specific sections under the present draft structure.
Parminder
Marilia Maciel wrote:
>
> Hi Parminder,
>
>
>
> I agree very much with your approach, to try to think about the
> broader picture at the same time that we try to come out with concrete
> suggestions under the several topics in the draft. No doubt that this
> broad analysis will help to keep us on track, be coherent and avoid
> zooming our suggestions too much in a way that we get lost in details.
>
>
>
> The political and institutional scenario in which the IGF is included
> – MDG, WSIS, CSTD – as well as the text of the AG resolution that
> renews the mandate, shows that one of the fundamental concerns that
> underpins this Internet governance matrix in UN is promoting
> development. And development needs to be sustained by public policy.
>
>
>
> One of the most important shortcomings when we think about the IGF is
> that it did not satisfactorily fulfill the role of being a facilitator
> for policy development. Improving the IGF dynamics in a way that is
> can provide multistakeholder input for policy development should be
> one of main goals in our current exercise. There are many unexplored
> links between the IGF and other UN bodies (including the CSTD) that
> already have a role in policy development. And if an enhanced
> cooperation mechanism gets implemented, the IGF needs to be deeply
> linked with it as well. We need to define exactly what it means to be
> “complementary” to enhanced cooperation. This may be explored in
> question 7.
>
>
>
> One conclusion of the above is that the IGF needs to produce outcomes
> fit for policy development, which lead us to the discussion of
> question number 3. Also, the Secretariat needs to be strengthened and
> the role of the MAG needs to be reviewed, so it can meaningfully
> assist on the process of transforming the rough summary of discussions
> into something that can orient the development of policy, which leads
> us to the discussion of question 6.
>
>
>
> Marília
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 3:47 PM, Miguel Alcaine
> <miguel.alcaine at gmail.com <mailto:miguel.alcaine at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> As an early supporter of these ideas, I would like to hightlight
> the following from Parminder's mail:
>
>
> The UN GA resolution for instance sought improvements specifically
> with a 'view to linking it to the broader
> dialogue on global Internet governance', It also mentions IGF's
> complementarity to the enhanced cooperation process, which itself
> is an important issue to keep in mind for proposing structural
> improvements.
>
> Those intersections between a) IGF and the broader dialogue and,
> b) IGF and enhanced cooperation need to be designed.
>
> The IGF will be needed as an agora, a place for discussion among
> all stakeholders without negotiations, in the Internet Governance
> ecosystem. One way to strengthen its relationships with decision
> taking entities in the Internet Governance Ecosystem is through
> its results: e.g. report, messages, etc. This is one part of the
> equation. The other part of the equation will be to have a way of
> reviewing if messages, report, etc. had been taken into account in
> other entities.
>
> IGF is an example of enhanced cooperation, at least in having
> everybody at the same level. In other settings, in spite of
> Westphalia, there are States more equal than others. Additionally,
> other entities of the IG ecosystem could take advantage of the IGF
> by communicating to the IGF community their results, methods of
> work, etc which may also be a way of observing if the WSIS IG
> principles are evolving in the IG ecosystem.
>
> The two processes may be complementary as the resolution says. For
> once, the non-negotiating nature of the IGF is not going to
> change. And, on the other hand, EC, as focused by the Tunis
> Agenda, may evolve towards more formal arrangements.
>
> Best,
>
> Miguel
>
> On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 8:24 AM, parminder
> <parminder at itforchange.net <mailto:parminder at itforchange.net>> wrote:
>
> Dear All
>
> Excuse me to start a new thread in addition to the separate
> ones based on the different questions from the *draft*
> structure sent out for the WGIGF report. The reason for this
> is that while we discuss the details, we should focus on the
> fact that this is a much higher level exercise for seeking
> possible structural reforms in the IGF, beyond the kind of
> things that can be done through evolutionary practices guided
> by the MAG. The WGIGF report will be submitted to the UN GA
> which is expected to take an appropriate decision on what
> structural improvements are needed in the IGF.
>
> A good way to begin at such foundational times is to look at
> the 'why' of the whole this. Why does the IGF exist and what
> do we want from it. Such an examination can then guide us to
> looking the the necessary structural changes.
>
> The UN GA resolution for instance sought improvements
> specifically with a 'view to linking it to the broader
> dialogue on global Internet governance', It also mentions
> IGF's complementarity to the enhanced cooperation process,
> which itself is an important issue to keep in mind for
> proposing structural improvements. The there is the WSIS
> mandate of the IGF against which we must check its present
> performance and look at required improvements. Added to it are
> the our own civil society interests of what 'change we want to
> see happen' and explore how IGF improvements can contribute to
> that basic objective.
>
> How we (my organisation and the CS networks we work with)
> relate to the IGF is vis a vis our concern that the Internet
> is one of the most potent social forces today, and at present
> its development may to a good extent be determined by the
> interests of those who are already most powerful. We therefore
> look at every opportunity to democratise the 'control' over
> the directions that Internet's development takes. In this
> regard not only greater participation is necessary but actual
> forums where the required public interest policy making can
> take place are needed. The main focus here is global forums,
> because that is the context we are in here, and in any case
> the Internet is inherently global, and most of the decisions
> that shape the Internet are global in their impact.
>
> We are not satisfied with IGF being just another global
> conference on IG issues, which is something any private actor
> could as well hold. Granted that IGF is open to anyone (who
> has the necessary funds) and that its agenda and structure is
> shaped by a multistakeholder group, which is a big plus.
> However, we need to judge it on its impact of real people's
> lives, which is mediated through its impact on global Internet
> related policies (we can discuss why in this context global is
> the primary focus). We dont judge IGF's performance too well
> on this count, and our efforts towards IGF improvement will be
> focused on this aspect on how it can have some to real global
> Internet policy impact.
>
> It is necessary that IGC discusses and figures out what is its
> real intent/ objective in seeking IGF reform, wherefrom can
> flow concrete proposals for reform. But lets focus more on
> larger structural things - things like how can IGF's policy
> issues related outcomes be shaped and routed to appropriate
> places and the what kind of funding is appropriate for the
> IGF. Once we have our views on these critical issues, most
> other things become so much easier to sort out.
>
> My fear is that if we spend too much time too early in looking
> at the details of what may be by comparison lesser issues, we
> will lose what may be the last opportunity to make structural
> reforms in the IGF. We may end up with an IGF with not much
> recognizable difference from the IGF we have today. And my
> judgment is that most actors in developing countries are not
> at all happy for the IGF to continue largely as it is today
> for the reasons discussed earlier.
>
> Parminder
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>
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> --
> Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade
> FGV Direito Rio
>
> Center for Technology and Society
> Getulio Vargas Foundation
> Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
--
PK
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