DRAFT: PLEASE COMMENT JOVAN/VLADA Re: [governance] May consultation: IGC input RP and access

Anriette Esterhuysen anriette at apc.org
Mon Apr 30 06:03:56 EDT 2012


Hi all

I think this is a good time to refer to the report of the CSTD working
group on IGF improvements.

This reports emphasises remote participation and accessibility. It also
emphasises language issues. I quote the text below.

Anriette

2. Enhance measures for broader participation

42. Remote participation is an integral part of the IGF. While remote
participation has improved, in particular through remote moderators and
hubs, there is still room for improvement in the following areas:

(a) The Secretariat should continue to ensure the availability of
adequate technical and human resources, including remote moderators;
(b) Chairs and moderators should give remote and on-site participants
equal recognition and the opportunity to participate;

(c) Low-bandwidth connections to remote participation tools should be
accommodated;

(d) Linguistic diversity in remote participation should be fostered by
ensuring that online meeting platforms interface with on-site
interpretation;

(e) Mechanisms that facilitate remote participation, such as live
transcripts, should be kept as an integral part of the IGF. Such
mechanisms are invaluable not only to remote participants, but also to
non-English-speakers and to people with disabilities, whether they are
on site or not.

43. It is important to ensure the accessibility of the IGF’s facilities
to persons with disabilities.

44. To improve participation in the IGF of diverse linguistic and
cultural groups, it is important to expand linguistic diversity
functions in the work of the IGF. For example, this could be achieved by
(resources permitting):

(a) Increasing the translation of key documents into United Nations
official languages;

(b) Exploring the use of simultaneous machine translations based on
realtime English transcripts;

(c) Encouraging the use of any of the United Nations official languages,
not only English, as the working language in some workshops.

3. Improve the online visibility and accessibility of the IGF

45. A first step in this direction should be to enhance the IGF’s
website by providing interactive functionalities and making it more
attractive and inclusive. It should also maintain its conformance with
open standards and further improve accessibility to persons with
disabilities.
.


On 30/04/12 11:29, Adam Peake wrote:
> Hi all.
> 
> I sent a note to encourage Judy (thanks Judy :-)) and other MAG
> members to get these two issues on the agenda of next month's meeting.
>  First thing is to get a placeholder for discussion.
> 
> I think a joint statement/recommendations from Diplo and the IGC on
> remote access would be very positive. Not a controversial issue, the
> Internet technical community and business will I'm sure support.
> Something all want to get right.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Adam
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 7:42 AM, Ginger Paque <ginger at paque.net> wrote:
>> Adam, thanks for this clear, concise presentation of two very important
>> facets of meeting planning for the IGF 2012
>>
>> 1. Accessibility to and within the venue is very important, and lessons
>> learned from Nairobi should be applied. As Judy has already commented, the
>> Dynamic Coalition for Access and Disability (DCAD) is active in addressing
>> this topic with the IGF secretariat, the OC, MAG and workshops. Can we
>> coordinate with them to support their work?
>>
>> 2. Regarding remote participation, my main concern, that RP be
>> institutionalized as part of the IGF process seems to be addressed. In
>> Nairobi, and again for Baku, Bernard Sadaka has been contracted by the IGF
>> Secretariat to manage RP. He is very aware of the shortcomings in previous
>> IGFs, and is working to address them, as he is determined to improve the
>> quality of RP for the IGF. Bernard's involvement is important, but not
>> sufficent for making RP a real success. We need to make a step forward, as
>> Adam suggests, to make specific recommendations for improving RP. As a
>> start, there was a workshop last year on e-participation/remote
>> participation principles, and a continuation of that one has been proposed,
>> No. 52 Remote Participation: Reality and Principles
>> http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/content/article/116-workshop-proposals/998-igf-2012-workshop-proposal--no-52-remote-participation-reality-and-principles
>> , with organizers including Diplofoundation and the DCAD.
>>
>> For RP, I think it is very important that we find a way to have a liaison
>> for practical input into the RP preparation process. I am very happy to work
>> on this with Vlada (Diplo's coordinator for e-participation) and anyone else
>> who is interested, from the IGC, the RPWG, DCAD or elsewhere,  As Adam has
>> suggested, establishing some guidelines is a good starting point, so I will
>> dig up the RPWG guidelines, the output from last years RP principles
>> workshop, and other notes, so we can have a concrete input to the next OC,
>> which we can ask CS MAG members to support for immediate implementation. I
>> will post something here late this week. I invite anyone else who is
>> interested to email me privately with their input, so we include all ideas.
>>
>> This is one possibility, which I will start working on. Other approaches,
>> are of course welcome, and I am happy to adapt as we go along. I'm just
>> proposing to get the ball rolling in the meantime. Thanks to Adam for this
>> specific suggestion, and to everyone who is working to make the revitalized
>> MAG and IGF12 a success. Katitza... We are counting on your continued push
>> and expertise too.
>>
>>  Gracias!  Ginger
>>
>>
>> On 29 April 2012 05:17, Adam Peake <ajp at glocom.ac.jp> wrote:
>>>
>>> As yet no agenda for the May meetings on the IGF website. Expect the
>>> main topic will be to review and finalize the draft programme paper
>>> (link should be
>>>
>>> http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2012/Programme%20Paper-1.02%20April%20copy.pdf)
>>> so it can be sent out with Mr. Sha's usual invitation to attend the
>>> annual IGF. I think that's the usual pattern. And then there should
>>> also be discussion of the workshop proposals.
>>>
>>> Perhaps our MAG members could ask what's planned.
>>>
>>> But for now I suggest we ask that remote access and accessibility of
>>> the Baku venue be put on the agendas of both the open consultation and
>>> the MAG meeting.
>>>
>>> Earlier in the year there was some good discussion about improving
>>> remote access (after my naïve comments...)  Would be good if someone
>>> could present what was learnt from Nairobi as positive statement about
>>> how best to conduct remote access in Baku.  The host country will need
>>> to know, and to prepare.  Perhaps Ginger, Marilia (the diplo team?)
>>> could prepare some recommendations?
>>>
>>> There were accessibility problems in Nairobi, all kinds of hassle for
>>> people with disabilities.  Shouldn't happen again.  Might suggest to
>>> the Secretariat and host country to have a discussion with the PWD
>>> caucus and panelists of the Nairobi session where concerns were
>>> raised.  The UN should be expert, but as we saw in Nairobi, they
>>> aren't always.  Would be good to have this on the agenda and
>>> acknowledged as a priority.
>>>
>>> Adam
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Jovan Kurbalija, PhD
>>
>> Director, DiploFoundation
>>
>> Rue de Lausanne 56 | 1202 Geneva | Switzerland
>>
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>>
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>>
>>
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> 

-- 
------------------------------------------------------
anriette esterhuysen anriette at apc.org
executive director, association for progressive communications
www.apc.org
po box 29755, melville 2109
south africa
tel/fax +27 11 726 1692

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