AW: [governance] CSTD Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation

Sun Mar 17 07:24:25 EDT 2013

Hi,

would it be possible to get the original mail from Constance? 

________________________________

Von: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org im Auftrag von michael gurstein
Gesendet: So 17.03.2013 12:07
An: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; 'Anriette Esterhuysen'; bommelaer at isoc.org
Cc: 'HASSAN Ayesha'; Roger Harris
Betreff: RE: [governance] CSTD Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation

Dear Ms. Bommelaer,

I have no idea how you might have informed yourself concerning my possible "nomination" through the CS focal point for the CSTD WG on EC and thus to be engaged in, in your terminology "double dipping" and "constituency shopping". My understanding was that the nomination process within the CS grouping was in fact, confidential.

That being by the by, I'm attaching below what I believe to be the relevant correspondence between myself and Ms. Esterhuysen concerning my "candidacy" in this matter.  I believe there to have been some confusion on her part based on her being part of a professional email list (the editorial board of the Journal of Community Informatics which I edit) and to which I sent the note below with an explanation asking for endorsement for my candidacy for the Technical and Academic grouping several of which endorsements I believe you have received.

BTW, I (and now I believe, we) still await a clear exposition of the procedures followed in the determination of your "nominations" including the basis on which you determined and applied "the criteria used".

I'm afraid that a quiet chat between you and a few of your friends as per:

The names put forward were subject to considerable discussion as well as oral dialogue with many individuals from Civil Society and the Business community (including their focal points). The criteria used were shared with all interested individuals as well as with the UN.

is hardly sufficient for a matter of this significance and could by some I believe, even be seen as undermining the legitimacy of the multistakeholder approach to decision making itself, due to your overall lack of formality, accountability and transparency.

I believe an apology is in order. Also, I believe if your decision and your communication with others was based on misinformation whatever its source, I believe it only in order that you reconduct your processes, this time based on formal and transparent procedures with clearly identified and agreed upon criteria. 

Mike   

-----------------------------

From: michael gurstein [mailto:gurstein at gmail.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 10:21 AM

To: 'anriette at apc.org'; 'emilar at APC.ORG'

Subject: RE: [JoCI] Request for Endorsement for UN Working Group on Internet issues

Hi Anriette,

I'll attach my bio, resume and "endorsements"... (I'm not sure what you mean by an application form... I filled one out for the MAG but I didn't see one for the ECWG...

In any case FWIW I've sent my application and the endorsements to Constance as I'm applying for the "technical/academic" stakeholder group... My intention would be to speak to/from the EC issues from a community informatics/grassroots/end user academic/technical/researcher perspective... in which I'm thinking I have the requisite background and experience... Also, again FWIW I am prepared to put in the time required for this.

Constance et al seem a bit perplexed by my application but we'll see.  She evidently has agreed to "accept" it, what happens after that I'm not sure...

Of course, an "endorsement" from you folks would be excellent :)

Best,

Mike

----------------------

From: Anriette Esterhuysen [mailto:anriette at apc.org] 

Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2013 4:29 PM

To: Michael Gurstein; emilar at APC.ORG

Subject: Re: [JoCI] Request for Endorsement for UN Working Group on Internet issues

Dear Michael

Really sorry.. but we are missing your application form.

Please can you send today?

Anriette

------------------------------

On 04/03/2013 09:45, michael gurstein wrote:

Tks Roger,

Yes, you are correct. The issues coming out of WSIS 2003/2005 were on two tracks--"Information Society" (ICT4D and DD for example) and "Internet Governance" (domain name management for example) on a second track. The decision to pursue questions concerning "Enhanced Cooperation" (concerning the overall global multistakeholder governance of Internet related matters) was meant to integrate the two themes/tracks.  

Of the four "stakeholders" -- government, civil society, private sector, and technical/academic -- the interests (stake) represented by the technical/academic has to date been represented almost exclusively by Developed Country techies with an interest in the maintenance of the technical infrastructure (the second track) and it would be my intention on that committee to ensure that Information Society issues were also being considered.  There would be some overlap of interest with the civil society reps--but their interests would be rather more normative -- particularly around Human Rights and normative principles.

Given the specific wording and mode of selection for this position it is likely that individual endorsments might be of most value and particularly academics such as those on this list.

Best and tks,

Mike  

-----------------------------------

From: joci-editorial-owner at vancouvercommunity.net [mailto:joci-editorial-owner at vancouvercommunity.net] On Behalf Of Roger Harris

Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 4:30 AM

To: joci-editorial at vancouvercommunity.net

Subject: RE: [JoCI] Request for Endorsement for UN Working Group on Internet issues

HI Mike,

Happy to do this; you're certainly the right person to represent the stance you describe. 

There's still talk around of digital divides and although I can detect a slight drift towards the notion that they represent more than mere access to devices, there's a danger the technologists will drown this out.

Suggest you draft the appropriate wording and I'll put my name to it. Maybe the group could do the same; a kinda 'petition'?

Rgds

Roger

Dr. Roger Harris

Consultant in ICTs for poverty reduction and rural development.

http://www.rogharris.org/

Co-Editor-in-Chief; The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries

http://www.ejisdc.org/ojs2/index.php/ejisdc

Director Business Development; eBario Sdn Bhd

http://www.ebario.org/

Visiting Professor, Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovation - Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

http://www.isiti.unimas.my/

--------------------------------------------

From: joci-editorial-owner at vancouvercommunity.net [mailto:joci-editorial-owner at vancouvercommunity.net] On Behalf Of michael gurstein

Sent: 01 March, 2013 3:07 PM

To: ciresearchers at vancouvercommunity.net; cracin-canada at vancouvercommunity.net; ci-research-sa at vcn.bc.ca; joci-editorial at vancouvercommunity.net

Subject: [JoCI] Request for Endorsement for UN Working Group on Internet issues

Colleagues,

The UN General Assembly is in the process of establishing a "Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation". The function of this Working Group is to deliberate on an institutional framework for identifying and responding to issues concerning the global impact and operation of the Internet.   

As you know a wide range of Internet related issues have been rapidly emerging concerning privacy and surveillance on the net; infrastructure, access and cost of Internet use; freedom of expression and censorship; the economic and other uses of personal data by mega-corps like Facebook and Google; among others.  To date there are no structures in place where discussions can be undertaken and, where necessary, decisions can be made concerning these matters as they impact on the entire world.

This Working Group is being established in response to a specific direction from the World Summit on the Information Society where all voices concerning these matters were given an opportunity to be heard. This Group will function under the convenorship of the Chair of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development. The outcome of the Working Group will be one small, but not insignificant step in a very long process, but as the first such development it will be significant. 

The Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development is required to ensure that the working group has balanced representation between Governments and invitees from all other stakeholders, namely, the private sector, civil society, technical and academic communities, and intergovernmental and international organizations.

In consultation with colleagues much more knowledgeable about these processes than myself, I have decided to forward my candidacy as part of the "technical and academic community". This in itself is something of an innovation since the formulation "technical and academic community" to date has included only those with a specifically technical interest in Internet infrastructure and technical operation althoughI believe this was not the original intention which was rather, to have a broad range of such inputs including those with an end-user oriented research interest.

I believe that it is important that "non-techie" Internet academics/researchers be represented in this most important discussion and I believe it  especially important that someone whose academic/research interests are with ensuring the broadest base of digital inclusion including among the marginalized, the rural, the indigenous, women and others be also included and that matters concerning these latter groups be raised as these global internet governance structures are being discussed.

I see my role here as being something of a placeholder as I believe that once the principle is established that technical and academic interests with respect to the Internet must go beyond simply the technical community there will be a range of opportunities for such participation in other Working Groups that might follow.

I should perhaps add that this participation is unfunded and it is as yet unclear whether participation will be virtual or through face to face meetings.  (The absence of funding for these kinds of multistakeholder activities should not be surprising since for the most part the stakeholders involved including the technical community folks are participating as part of their normal work activities with their travel being covered by their employers.) 

So colleagues, with this note I'm asking you, and particularly those of you with academic or research positions to "endorse" my candidacy by sending an email to the focal point for the "technial/academic" community Ms. Constance Bommelaer bommelaer at isoc.org and with a copy to myself.

Your note need not be elaborate but it would be most useful to indicate your academic title(s) as an indication of the breadth of support for this candidacy. This matter has come up quite quickly and the deadline is that endorsements should be forwarded no later than March 6.

Feel free to pass this along to others you think might have an interest but my preference is to not have this too broadly distributed outside of the wider Community Informatics community at this time.

With thanks,

Mike

Michael Gurstein, Ph.D. 

Executive Director: Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training (CCIRDT) 

Vancouver, BC CANADA 

tel/fax: +1-604-602-0624 

email: gurstein at gmail.com 

web: http://communityinformatics.net 

blog: http://gurstein.wordpress.com 

twitter: #michaelgurstein 

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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 1

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