[governance] Statement on Sexual Harassment at ICANN 55

Fri Mar 18 20:18:57 EDT 2016

*My Statement at the Public Forum*

I believe that realizing human rights is the essential first step to
building just societies. When people are empowered to pursue their own
destinies and have a voice in shaping solutions to problems they
experience, they are better equipped to overcome poverty, live with dignity
and transform the lives of others.

“Millions of people are suffering enormously at the hands of states, while
governments are shamelessly painting the protection of human rights as a
threat to security, law and order or national ‘values.'"

There is an insidious and creeping trend undermining human rights which has
come from governments deliberately attacking, under funding or neglecting
institutions that have been set up to help protect our rights.

“Not only are our rights under threat, so are the laws and the system that
protect them. More than 70 years of hard work and human progress lies at
risk,”

The United Nations’ human rights bodies, the International Criminal Court,
and regional mechanisms such as the Council of Europe and the Inter
American Human Rights system, are being undermined by governments
attempting to evade oversight of their domestic records.

As I speak Amnesty international has stated in their 2015 – 2016 report that
  governments are  broken international law in their national contexts:
more than 98 states tortured or otherwise ill-treated people and 30 or more
illegally forced people to do things against their will where they would be
in danger. In at least 18 countries, war crimes or other violations of the
“laws of war” were committed by governments or armed groups.

Amnesty International has warn of a worrying trend among governments
increasingly targeting and attacking activists, lawyers and others who work
to defend human rights and we are not excluded from this

“Instead of recognizing the crucial role these people play in society, many
governments have deliberately set out to strangle criticism in their
country. They broken their own laws in their crackdowns against citizens,”

*My question now is:*

1.   Is there any charter of human right and principles for the internet?
If yes to what extent has it influence human right policies on the
internet. and if no is there any plans from ICANN to lead the process of
bringing to the attention of the international bodies responsible for human
right issues in relation to the internet from our part of the world?

*WISDOM DONKOR (S/N Eng.)*
ICANN Fellow / ISOC Member, IGF Member, Diplo Foundation
OGP Working Group Member, Africa OD Working Group Member
E-government and Open Government Data Platforms Specialist
National Information Technology Agency (NITA)
Ghana Open Data Initiative (GODI)
Post Office Box CT. 2439, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
Tel; +233 20 812881
Email: wisdom_dk at hotmail.com
wisdom.donkor at data.gov.gh
wisdom.dk at gmail.com
Skype: wisdom_dk
facebook: facebook at wisdom_dk
Website: www.nita.gov.gh / www.data.gov.gh
www.isoc.gh / www.itag.org.gh

On Sat, Mar 19, 2016 at 12:06 AM, Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro <
salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> I do not condone sexual harrassment nor bullying,  intimidation of any
> sort.
>
> The matter disclosed on a public mailing list for something that has been
> logged with Ombudsman or relevant authorities is not for public consumption
> particularly  if determination has yet to be reached.
>
> Any organisation operating within the 21st century should have a decent
> sexual harassment policy and if it does'nt then develop one.
>
> For those who wanted justice,  public ridicule without proper due process
> is equally reprehensible as alleged sexual harrassment.
>
> The fact that the matter has been logged with appropriate authorities who
> should also afford the accused party the right to be heard.
>
> Personally, I do not see the link to internet governance as this is a
> matter for relevant authorities.
>
> Sala
> On 18 Mar 2016 6:50 pm, "Padmini" <pdmnbaruah at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear all
>>
>> PFA my public statement in this respect. It is a repeated plea to the
>> Board of ICANN as well as the Community to clarify the timeline as to the
>> development of the sexual harassment policy in this regard, as well as to
>> reaffirm a commitment towards the development of strong, continued gender
>> sensitisation.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Padmini Baruah
>> V Year, B.A.LL.B. (Hons.)
>> NLSIU, Bangalore
>> Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore
>>
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