[governance] [bestbits] NOTE - Call for Nomination: Stakeholder Speakers at the General Assembly High-level Meeting on WSIS+10

Sat Oct 31 03:17:22 EDT 2015

Hi Parminder,

While I agree with your analysis, I don’t think there is any chance at all that this process will be changed in the short timeframe involved, however strong a protest we make. So my own thoughts are that it is probably best to get involved, and from that position make a strong statement that the process is flawed and problematic from our point of view. I also feel that we should be involved because in doing so we are able to correct some excesses from our point of view, but certainly not all.
However that’s just a personal point of view.  We have just opened a discussion on this in CSCG and decisions may be quite different.
One problem is that CSCG as such cannot nominate. Those who can according to this process are: Non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council • Organizations accredited to the World Summit on the Information Society held in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) • Organizations accredited to the WSIS Forum held from 2011 to 2015 • Organizations with observer status with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development • Attendees of the UNESCO WSIS+10 - ICT4D Conference or the UNESCO WSIS - Connecting the Dots Conference • Organizations accredited to the Financing for Development (FFD) process • Organizations accredited to the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 • Organizations already accredited to the WSIS+10 process (July and October meetings)
So if CSCG as such is involved, it will have to be with our nominations as representatives of civil society organisations who do fit one at least of the above criteria.
Another problem is that the time frame for selecting speakers is roughly that of IGF – and with a 15 hour estimated commitment it may not be easy to find people able to represent us. I believe that if we are involved we should try to fill both civil society slots on the selection panel. But that will have to be as two separate nominations (backed by CSCG) from different CS groups.
And if we do nominate representatives on the selection panel, we have to do so this week. 
And if I may add a further factor – I will be stepping down as the Independent Chair of CSCG shortly, as my term expires soon. I will not be standing again, as various factors are making it difficult for me to maintain an active involvement in these forums; and I think it is time for one of our very talented (and younger) members to take over.  CSCG is currently drafting an EOI to seek a new independent Chair, with the aim of opening that process before IGF so that people get a chance to discuss it while many are present in Brazil. So the replacement process hopefully will complete by the end of this year.
So in these circumstances – it would be good to hear from anyone who has an interest in working with CSCG as part of this particular process; I don’t necessarily want to be involved if we have good reps able to consult with CSCG members. If anyone is interested in this and wants to contact me privately to assist in this way,  I would be happy to discuss further and approach CSCG as regards their involvement.
Thanks for opening up a discussion on this. 
Ian Peter
From: parminder 
Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2015 3:32 PM
To: bestbits at lists.bestbits.net ; governance at lists.igcaucus.org 
Subject: Re: [bestbits] NOTE - Call for Nomination: Stakeholder Speakers at the General Assembly High-level Meeting on WSIS+10

Please see the below announcement.

It seems that there is a strong effort to institutionalise a system of civil society reps for speaker roles, but perhaps later also for more substantive roles, being selected by multistakeholder committees, meaning that big business and technical community gets a veto over civil society rep selection. (Do remember here that 'technical community' here is not that odd free and open software group volunteering their time in supporting government schools or the such. This term is accepted in the IG world now to denote those who work for and represent organisations engaged with technical governance of the Internet, and thus represent a governance status quo group. The semantic confusion about the term, as being people with technical capacities, is deliberate in order to utilise a certain legitimacy for what is a power based governance system.)

The structural problem with such a process should be obvious.

This is not acceptable for me, my organisation and the networks that I work with. Civil society has traditionally been fiercely protective of its independence, which includes the right to choose its own nominees (for instance, any efforts at national govs 'clearing' civil society reps from their countries has been strongly resisted at the UN and other global governance levels).  I think we need to write back to those responsible for this process that , thanks but no thanks, you tell us how many CS sepakers you want and we have a process of selection for CS reps and we will deliver the names by the date you want.

May I appeal to Ian and the CSCG to frame and send such a letter to WSIS process co-facilitators, and the concerned UN bureaucracy, at the earliest. Before these mentioned deadlines pass.

Meanwhile, let me give some background on this....

Just Net Coalition did write a letter addressed to the co-facilitators against such a process of big business sitting over decisions on CS reps. It seems to have had no effect.

A few years back, there was an attempt by a certain group in the IGF MAG, led by the then Exec Director of the IGF, Markus Kummer, to institute a method of selections of non gov MAG members by a committee of older non gov MAG members. I was able to attend MAG meetings in those days as a Special Advisor to the chair. I opposed such a process of CS nominee selection by a committee that included big business and technical community  (read the ICANN/ ISOC system). I was able to get the support of a few CS MAG members in the room, and I distinctly remember Graciala, Katitza, and Foaud in this regard, and perhaps a person or two more whose names may have dropped from my memory (my apologies).... And because of the CS opposition this problematic move had to be abandoned.  Now it seems to be coming back from another door, and we need to stand up against it once again.

Again, we have very little turnaround time here. 

parminder 

On Friday 30 October 2015 08:04 PM, Carolina Rossini wrote:

  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  From: NGO News <ngonews at un.org>
  Date: Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 10:14 AM
  Subject: [NGO News:] Call for Nomination: Stakeholder Speakers at the General Assembly High-level Meeting on WSIS+10
  To: crossini at publicknowledge.org

  Deadlines:            

  8 November 2015: Apply for Selection Committee

  12 November 2015: Apply for Speaking Roles

  The General Assembly High-level Meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society will take place on 15-16 December 2015 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

  This high-level meeting will provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions on important issues in the implementation of the WSIS outcomes, including the progress, gaps and challenges, as well as areas for future actions.

  To apply to speak at the High-level Meeting, please complete the form available here. Applications will be accepted from 30 October to 12 November 2015.

  A Selection Committee will be established in order to ensure broad and inclusive participation of stakeholders in the high-level meeting. Applications to the Selection Committee will be accepted from 30 October to 8 November 2015. To learn more about the Selection Committee, please see the Terms of Reference by clicking on this link. To apply to participate in the stakeholder Selection Committee, please complete the form available here.

  Background

  In December of 2003, the world came together in Geneva at the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) to declare a "common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society," and ushered in an era of harnessing the power of information and communication technology to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The resulting Geneva Plan of Action established targets and the eleven action lines, which guide development in specific areas.

  The second phase of WSIS, conducted in Tunis in 2005, built upon the achievements of the Geneva Plan, with the resulting Tunis Agenda addressing additional issues, such as financing and internet governance. Paragraph 111 of the Tunis Agenda, endorsed by the General Assembly in resolution 60/252, requested the General Assembly to undertake the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of WSIS in 2015.  In response, the General Assembly in resolution 68/302, decided that the overall review will be concluded by a two-day high-level meeting of the General Assembly, to be preceded by an intergovernmental process that also takes into account inputs from all relevant stakeholders of WSIS.

  -- 

  Carolina Rossini 
  Vice President, International Policy and Strategy 

  Public Knowledge
  http://www.publicknowledge.org/

  + 1 6176979389 | skype: carolrossini | @carolinarossini

  -- 

  Carolina Rossini 
  Vice President, International Policy
  Public Knowledge
  http://www.publicknowledge.org/

  + 1 6176979389 | skype: carolrossini | @carolinarossini

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