[governance] WSIS+10 speakers

Thu Dec 17 08:29:43 EST 2015

For the record.

When I realised I would not be able to be present to take up the
speaking slot I was assigned, I did the following:

1) I informed the CSCG chair that I would not be able to make it and
copied Ian on some of my email exchanges with the UN.

2) I tried to get the UN to pick people who were on the CSCG list and
and suggested names of people on the list who I thought would be willing
to collaborate with APC on a statement.

Their response was that the decision will be made elsewhere and that if
I lose my slot I have lost it and have no further claim on it in any way.

The opportunity for Deborah to to speak emerged just a few days
beforehand as another speaker had dropped out.

APC is also concerned about the lack of regional diversity among
speakers, but at the same time we felt it was important for us to
present our statement as we have been so much part of WSIS and therefore
we accepted the last minute offer for Deborah to have a speaking slot.

My personal view - not APC's - on selection is rather different from
that of the CSCG. I much prefer more transparency with all
nongovernmental speakers being selected in one process as was the case
for the previous session in October. I also believe it is useful for
civil society to have influence over selection of speakers from other
stakeholder groups.

Anriette

On 17/12/2015 14:31, Remmy Nweke wrote:
> Hi all
> Yes Anita was right the blame should not be ours in selection committee
> (CS) because we did provide some backups, however we are gathering the
> lessons thereof for the future and which should entail that UN agencies
> give us enough time to work things out incase of this kind of
> eventuality, more so considering visa issues too.
> In some countries it take longer time than the other except for those
> already with visa.
> Regards
> Remmy
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: anita <mailto:anita at itforchange.net>
> Sent: ‎17/‎12/‎2015 06:53
> To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org <mailto:governance at lists.igcaucus.org>
> Subject: Re: [governance] WSIS+10 speakers
> 
> Dear Carlos
> 
> Greetings!
> 
> Indeed if we did take a position that selection of speakers should be
> organisational and not individual, it would not matter who speaks from
> any organisation. The selection committee decided to shortlist
> individuals, and process wise, this is something to consider for the
> future in terms of nominations. (the SDGs process officially recognised
> only groups and civil society organised itself around these)
> 
> Secondly, it was Matthew who replaced Anriette. So, there is a
> randomness there about the process and again, for me, it is about the
> way we had, as the selection committee, spent time in achieving a
> balance among individuals.
> 
> Finally, about whose fault it is - I believe that CS protocol should be
> that if I am selected, and then invited, and cant go, I should inform
> the CSCG as I would inform DESA/ OPGA. This is about internal
> accountability in civil society. Indeed, we do need to as a group
> persist with our criteria and impress upon OPGA that the selections and
> back ups (and we did submit backups) have a particular logic that we
> believe are about representativity. I do think that it may be our
> failure if we were unable to prevail upon the UN. But we all know that
> much of our power as civil society is only a moral force... I dont think
> therefore that it was 'our' fault.
> 
> Best wishes and hope you have a nice end of year and great new year!
> 
> anita
> 
> 
> On Wednesday 16 December 2015 10:31 PM, Carlos Afonso wrote:
>> Dear Ian,
>>
>> I suggest we do not do that. First of all, Deborah is a natural
>> replacement for Anriette - I do not think she will do a speech diverging
>> in any way from what Anriette would do.
>>
>> Second, we do not have issues with the choice of Mathew as you state
>> correctly, except for the fact that he is not from Tatiana's region. But
>> there is another civil society rep from the South listed, which is
>> Parminder (whatever the divergences of approach).
>>
>> Third, I am sure that to do the replacement through our committee there
>> simply would not be enough time.
>>
>> Finally, if we are failing to present the reps we chose, this is not the
>> fault of OPGA, it is our fault.
>>
>> IMHO
>>
>> fraternal regards
>>
>> --c.a.
>>
>> On 16-12-15 04:04, Ian Peter wrote:
>>> We have just been informed that OPGA has made two changes to the civil society speakers nominated for WSIS+10. Tatiana Kapinga, who was unable to secure a US visa, and Anriette Esterhuysen, who was unable to stay to address the meeting, were replaced by Deborah Brown of APC and Matthew Shears of Center for Democracy and Technology.
>>>
>>> While not wishing to be critical of either of the people chosen, members of the Civil Society Selection Committee believe that, despite the short timeframe,  it should have been consulted about these  changes. In particular, we are concerned that the changes made by OGPA resulted in four of our five speakers being from WEOG areas. This lack of geographic balance is unfortunate, and could have been avoided.
>>>
>>> We will convey our disappointment to OPGA at a later stage, but wanted civil society networks to be aware of this issue.
>>>
>>> Ian Peter
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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> 
> -- 
> 
> <http://www.ITforChange.net/>*Anita Gurumurthy*| Executive Director
> IT for Change <http://www.itforchange.net/>
> (/In special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC)/
> 91-80-26654134 | T:00-91-80-26536890 | Fax 91-80-41461055
> Email:anita at itforchange.net
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> /Have you visited:
> <http://www.gender-is-citizenship.net>www.gender-is-citizenship.net
> 
> /
> 
> 
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-- 
-----------------------------------------
Anriette Esterhuysen
Executive Director
Association for Progressive Communications
anriette at apc.org
www.apc.org
IM: ae_apc

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