[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [WSIS-CT] PrepCom III: Work plan proposal for alternative declaration

[Fullsack Jean-Louis]

Hi PatchA

OK for all kinds of Rights to Access, but what about CREATING access for the
billion(s) people still very far from it, in both time and space terms ?
I'd just remind you that during PrepCom-2 our position concerning access for
people in DCs was formulated roughly as follows : "One access to a
(tele)communication network per Village or representative Community  in
2005".
Why 2005 : because within its timeframe the WSIS could assess the degree of
achieving this emblematic objective and basic need for millions of people
especially in Africa. In other words, this connectivity would reflect
somehow the effectiveness of the WSIS process and particularly of its Action
Plan.
Another objective of paramount importance is financing (tele)communication
access and infrastructure in DCs. This needs i.a. a clear position of CS
concerning the so-called Digital Solidarity Agenda or Fund which has to be
considered as a possible complementary system among other existing ones as
far as they meet adequately the specific conditions in DCs. Moreover,
another (indirect) resource generating mechanism consists in returning to a
tax distributing system for international communications that could restaure
the self-investment capacity of public telecommunication operators (PTOs) in
DCs.
Finally a very important issue is the privatisation process especially in
the telecommunication  sector. Some NGOs recommend this process to be
suspended until an economic and future proven solution is worked out by the
public authorities and the regulatory evolution is endorsed by the citizens.
This is also a concrete example of CS committed in public interest-driven
purposes instead of market-driven ones, and complying with our statements in
the draft Declaration of principles.
Jean-Louis Fullsack
CSDPTT
----- Original Message -----
From: "PatchA" <patcha at patcha.jinbo.net>
To: <ct at wsis-cs.org>
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2003 7:36 PM
Subject: RE: [WSIS-CT] PrepCom III: Work plan proposal for alternative
declaration


> Dear Karen,
>
> Below is a Chun's posting to Asia CS mailing list about
> Proposed Framework for Civil Society Declaration at Prepcom III.
> Maybe we can refer it also.
>
> PatchA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chun Eung Hwi [mailto:chun at peacenet.or.kr]
> Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 6:55 AM
> To: communication at wsisasia.org
> Subject: [communication 983] Proposed Framework for Civil Society
Declaration
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> As I explained earlier, in last PrepCom III, civil society group had
> started to draft Civil Society Declaration. The goal of this new document
> is not for lobbying with governments in WSIS. In considering its indirect
> effect on government, but primarily for our own future action guideline,
> it would be worked out. Here, I enclose the proposed framework of that
> document. It is one summary of our discussion in last PrepCom III C/T.
> I want to hear your comments on that framework.
>
> regards,
>
> Chun
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Chun Eung Hwi
> General Secretary, PeaceNet | phone:     (+82)  2-2166-2205
> Seoul Yangchun P.O.Box 81   |   pcs:     (+82) 019-259-2667
> Seoul, 158-600, Korea      | eMail:   chun at peacenet.or.kr
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Proposed Framework for Civil Society Declaration
> Presented at Civil Society Plenary, Thursday 26th September 2003
>
>
> I. Vision (A Larger Framework of the Issues)
>
> 1.  Vision of Information and Communication Societies
> - Framing the issues so that it elucidates principles such as of
> inclusive, participatory, sustainable, equitable and just
> - Information Society is an evolving concept and not an end of
> itself
>
> 2. Purposes of Information and Communication Societies
> An Information and Communication Society is a concept/metaphor that we
> re-frame in order to achieve the following goals:
> - Poverty eradication
> - Sustainable development:
> - Attainment of human rights
> - Addressing/Bridging the Divide: how ICTs are mapped onto other
> inequalities such north-south, urban-rural,
> - Building communities
> - Core labor standards for all workers
>
> 3. Roles and Responsibilities of the Stakeholders in Information and
> Communication Societies:
> - State: what is their role of the state in the national and global
> polity, address the shifting focus from sustainable development to
> economic globalisation
> - Private:
> - Public/Civil Society: can't claim to speak for all; it tries to
> ensure equal distribution of resources; Needs to show CSOs are working
> outside the negotiation
>
>
> II. Perspectives (A Focused View of the Issues)
>
> 4. Frameworks for Analysing Issues in Information and Communication
> Societies
> There are many different ways of analysing issues in Information and
> Communication Societies, but we believe that the following
> approaches/perspectives to be central for a Civil Society document which
> can be used by different stakeholders and will lead to concrete approaches
> to achieving the following goals as stated above: poverty eradication,
> sustainable development, achievement of rights, different kinds of
> divides.
>
> " Human rights framework
> - Communication rights as based in human rights
> - Information rights
> - Collective rights vs Individual rights
> - Concern about the hierarchy of rights
>
> " Equality & Empowerment Framework
> - Basic Human Security/Welfare: access to meeting basic human needs
> - Access: increased access to the resources that women or
> marginalized groups need to survive and to improve their status
> - Critical Awareness: increases women's and marginalized groups
> awareness of the structural inequalities that frequently shape their lives
> and the decisions they make
> - Control: increases in women's control and ownerships of the
> resources and decisions they need to survive, improve their status and
> address the unequal power relations
>
> " Views from the 'Periphery' - Intersectional approach
>   Historical legacies/realities: Colonial legacy, slavery,
> indigenous people's, displaced
>   Geographical: South-South, North-South, Rural-Urban;
>   "Those who fall in-between the gaps": Groups/Communities who are
> discriminated against based on gender, age, class, race, ethnicity,
> religion, culture, sexuality
>
> " Anti-Market Driven Framework/ Neo-liberal Economic Orthodoxies
>   Globalisation: economic, cultural and technological globalisation
>   Privatisation, De-regulation, liberalisation
>   Commodification of knowledge and culture
>   [NB: Suggestion that we state Information Society issues firstly
> in the a positive focus and then address the limitations or other factors
> that may affect the issue]
>
> 5. Unpacking key concepts of Information and Communication Societies
> The CS will need to explore further and define concepts that we have been
> using loosely and inclusively:
>
> a. Society
> - Citizenship, citizens rights, public domain, social solidarity
> People-centered
> b. Information / Information Society
> - What is information?
> - Information as a commodity for economic gain and not public good
> c. Communication
> - should focus first and foremost to prepare people to live in
> culturally-complex, pluralistic societies
> - Commodification of communication, Communication as an end in
> itself
> d. Knowledge
> - Access and control of  knowledge power. (e.g indigenous knowledge,
> marginalized knowledge etc)
> - Knowledge society
> e. Culture Identify and Cultural diversity
> f. Ethical Dimensions
>
>
> III. Moving Forward (From Priority Issues to Concrete Plans of Action)
>
> 6.Specific areas
> We have tried to cluster the areas identified in the CS Plenary and
> providing examples of how the complexity of themes might be organized.
>
> a. Media
> Media ownership
> Independence, pluralism, and diversity of the media
> b. Public and Community Media
> Local content development
> c. Intellectual Property Rights
> d. Regulatory Framework
> - Balance between the economic and cultural
> - Global Commons
>
> e. Information and Communication Infrastructure
> f. Governance
> ICT - Internet
> Accountability
> Transparency
> Participation
> Democratic management of International bodies dealing with ICTs
> g. Education & Research
> Using ICTs in education
> Media Education/Literacy: Critical awareness on the socio-political
> sociio-economic dimensions of information, communication and media
> h. Sustainability
> Development: Social and Sustainable
> Environment
> Technology
> i. Human Security, Secrecy & Privacy
> j. Access to Information resources
> Libraries, databases, archives
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ct-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:ct-admin at wsis-cs.org]On Behalf Of karen
banks
> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 12:55 AM
> To: ct at wsis-cs.org
> Subject: [WSIS-CT] PrepCom III: Work plan proposal for alternative
declaration
>
>
> dear all
>
> I am reposting a summary of discussions from PrepCom III which i've found
> in the CT list, re the status of discussions around the alternative
> declaration.
>
> Can someone give us an update please?
>
> karen
>
> >From: "Sally Burch" <sburch at alainet.org>
> >To: ct at wsis-cs.org
> >Subject: [WSIS-CT] Work plan proposal for alternative declaration
> >Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 14:34:23 -0500
> >
> >Proposed Work plan for drafting CS alternative declaration or
> >document
> >
> >There is agreement on the idea of drawing up an "alternative
> >declaration" or "civil society statement", based on the wealth
> >of proposals and content we have produced over the past year.
> >The following is a proposal for how this could be produced, as
> >discussed in a first working group meeting on Friday.  It will
> >be presented to the CT group for further discussion.  Comments
> >from outside are welcome.
> >
> >Criteria:
> >
> >The document will draw on and enrich the content produced by
> >civil society in the WSIS process, with the different
> >consensus documents as a basis, but also drawing on caucus
> >documents and other input.
> >
> >It will attempt to reflect an overall consensus position,
> >rather than a juxta position of diverse input on different
> >issues, which will require further debate on some issues.
> >Where consensus is hard to reach, it may not be forced, but
> >reference could be made (inside or outside the main text) to
> >"challenges" that will need further debate in the next phase
> >of the WSIS process.
> >
> >The document will not try to mimic the structure of the
> >official declaration nor will be a comment on it as such
> >(although reference can be made).  It will state the issues as
> >civil society envisions them.
> >
> >The document will be conceived as both a contribution to the
> >debate within the WSIS process and for raising awareness on
> >the issues among a broader group of organizations and
> >individuals.  It must therefore help to frame the issues and
> >use lay language.
> >
> >Length will not necessarily be restricted, though if
> >appropriate a summarized version could also be produced.
> >
> >Drafting Process:
> >
> >A compilation is being made of previous civil society
> >consensus documents, which will also be summarized in an index
> >of themes.  A working group has been set up (participation is
> >open to others, including those not in Geneva) that will first
> >discuss the structure of the document (using the index as a
> >basis).  Sections will then be assigned to different people
> >and a first draft will be produced this week (as far as
> >possible) based on our previous documents.  Towards the end of
> >the week a meeting will be held to read the first draft,
> >suggest how to edit and identify potentially difficult issues.
> >Hopefully there will be time for a first debate on these
> >issues this week.
> >
> >Work will continue on-line with two successive versions being
> >circulated for input and a final version for endorsements
> >before December.
> >
> >We will need to see how to resolve the question of translation
> >for the consultation process and of the final document, and
> >printing costs.
> >
> >September 20
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Ct at wsis-cs.org
> http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/ct
> Civil Society Plenary: http://www.wsis-cs.org/
> Content & Themes Documents:
> http://bscw.fit.fraunhofer.de/pub/bscw.cgi/0/42953798
>
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