[WSIS CS-Plenary] Important: Support for Sean's proposal

[natasha at womensnet.org.za]

Dear All,

The NGO Gender Strategies Working Group, working within the Civil 
Society Plenary of WSIS, would like to express its agreement, in 
principle, with the 5 points outlined by Sean in his proposed 
submission to the CSB ( below). 

We would, however, prefer a reformulation of Point 3, for it to read 
as follows: 

"The CS Plenary Meeting has endorsed the Content and Themes Group, 
which also reports to it. The CS Plenary acknowledges the diversity 
of the various caucuses and working groups and creates as much room 
as possible for the expression of different viewpoints and 
perspectives." 


Regards,
Natasha Primo

For:

APCWNSP 
ISIS International 
ALAI 
IWTC 
FEMNET


============================================
1. Civil Society has constituted itself into a Plenary at every
convening of the WSIS, PrepComs, Intercessional, Summits. It is open
to all of civil society members and of course any organisations is
free not to participate.  But the great majority have chosen to.  It
is the ultimate decision making body of civil society in relation to
the WSIS.

2.  It has endorsed the existence of the Bureau, and the Bureau has
agreed explicitly that it is subject to the Civil Society Plenary
Meeting and must report to it regularly.

3.  The CS Plenary Meeting has endorsed the Content and Themes Group,
which also reports to it.  And it has endorsed most if not all of the
various caucuses, working groups and so forth.

4.  The Civil Society Division of the Secretariat serves the Civil
Society Plenary Meeting and anything the Plenary sets up,  although 
it can also provide support to any groups who choose not to associate
with the Plenary.

5.  Regarding the (currently important) operation of the CS Plenary
between physical meetings, the following was agreed by the Civil
Society Plenary at PrepCom 2 (extract from the Description of the
plenary at wsis-cs.org list) 
http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary "The Civil
Society Plenary Meeting, when convened, is the source of legitimacy
for all civil society activities in the WSIS. Between PrepComs a
'Virtual CS Plenary Group' has been created (plenary at wsis-cs.org),
comprising organisations and other entities accredited and registered
at both PrepComs to date, from civil society, although organisations
with a key interest in the issues but that are not part of the Summit
process should also have the opportunity to participate. The list 
will not be a decision-making space, in the sense that no voting will 
be called for, but a space to promote greater debate and transparency 
in the organisation of Civil Society during the summit."  [my bold] 
The CS-Plenary list (plenary at wsis-cs.org) was subsequently set up and 
now has over 250 registered, all of whom in the interests of
accountability an transparency have registered their names when
joining the list. Thus, the CS-Plenary list is a space to promote
debate and transparency in civil society overall in between 
physically convened Civil Society Plenary groups.  I believe all 
major issues and proposals should be openly debated there before any 
decisions are taken by other groups, such as the Bureau and the 
Content & Themes Group. I also believe that many decisions must be 
reaffirmed at the opening Civil Society Plenary at PrepCom 3, if 
there have been widely different views expressed on it.

This structure may not be perfect, but it is all we have, it has wide
support, and has been endorsed at all major civil meetings and venues
at the WSIS.  I really think at this point that we all have to be
working from the same basics.  There are too many important issues
facing us right now to run the risk of destroying the structures we
have so painstakingly put together.

I am seeking support for the above five points from those on this 
list as I believe we cannot be continually reinventing the past and 
must move forward. I will also be communicating on these matters 
within the Bureau.

Very best

Sean


------- End of forwarded message -------
-- 
Natasha Primo, Project Manager
Women'sNet
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natasha at womensnet.org.za
http://www.womensnet.org.zaNatasha Primo
Project Manager: Women'sNet
SANGONeT
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Johannesburg 2000
South Africa
Tel: +27-11-8386943/4
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email: natasha at womensnet.org.za
URL: http://www.womensnet.org.za