[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: Summary of Civil Society Structures

[Adam Peake]

(only sending to plenary list.)


Sean (Renata, Wolfgang), this looks very good.  Thank you.

Suggest it should be distributed at the Orientation session on the 14th.

About orientation.  People will arrive throughout the 2 weeks.  A 
summary of what's said on Sunday, printed and put in mail boxes would 
might be very helpful.  Particularly a description of how civil 
society operates (easy for me to suggest as I'll be in the US and so 
avoid the work I'm suggesting :-)

Have a good PrepCom.

Adam



At 10:06 AM +0100 9/12/03, Sean O Siochru wrote:
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>Hi to all on the CS Plenary List, the Bureau and the C&T Group
>
>Forgive the Cross posting, but it is unavoidable.  Is it possible to 
>get translation for the main text below, please?  (Not sure who I am 
>asking but it worked before - thanks)
>
>Following discussions during the Summer on the structures of civil 
>society, there seemed to be general agreement that a simple short 
>statement of the current situation would be useful, so that all 
>entities involved at least have a basic understanding and to help 
>orient new people coming in.   This is not intended as a 'legally 
>binding' document - just a guideline for us all on a common 
>understanding.  It may be useful to have it endorsed at the PrepCom 
>by all concerned. It has been drafted by myself, Wolfgang 
>Kleinwaechter and Renata Bloem
>
>It is also attached as an rtf file.
>
>Sean
>
>
>Civil Society at the WSIS:  Basic Structures.
>
>The following describes in summary the basic structures that civil 
>society has developed over the preparatory process of the WSIS. 
>
>1.       A key principle underlying the structures of civil society 
>is that there must be multiple avenues and means for participation, 
>and that all civil society entities can select the nature, level and 
>extent of participation according to their needs and interests.
>
>2.       Civil Society can constitute itself into a Plenary (CSP) at 
>every official convening of the WSIS process, such as Regional 
>Conferences, PrepComs, Intersessional meetings and Summits. The CSP 
>is open to the participation of all civil society participants. When 
>convened, it is the ultimate civil society authority in the WSIS 
>process, in relation to the mandate and scope of the specific event. 
>At PrepCom II, CSP endorsed the existence and terms of the Civil 
>Society Content & Themes Group and the Civil Society Bureau.
>
>3.       The Civil Society Content and Themes Group (CS C&T) 
>coordinates the work of numerous self-constituting civil society 
>Caucuses, Working Groups and other content related entities.  It is 
>charged with facilitating agreement on and taking decisions on 
>content-related issues, while respecting the domain expertise and 
>competence of Caucuses and Content Groups.  It reports regularly to 
>the CS plenary on decisions taken.
>
>4.       The Civil Society Bureau (CSB) functions as an interlinkage 
>between civil society participants and the intergovernmental Bureau 
>and process, with regard to operational and logistical needs, 
>procedures and interactions. It does not concern itself with 
>content-related issues. The Bureau is constituted by 21 family nodal 
>points, that enable any civil society entity to find a home, and it 
>enhances interaction between all sections of civil society and 
>between civil society and others.  The Civil Society Division of the 
>WSIS Secretariat provides the Secretariat for the CS Bureau.  The 
>Bureau reports regularly to the CS Plenary on decisions taken.
>
>5.       The Civil Society Division of the WSIS Secretariat (CSD) 
>supports the activities of all civil society participants and 
>entities in the Summit, including the above.  It may also provide 
>support to participants who chose not to associate with some or all 
>of the above entities, in a manner that respects the functions and 
>authority of the above.
>
>6.       The CSP approved a Virtual CS Plenary group as an 
>electronic forum between physical meetings of the CSP, to promote 
>debate and greater transparency in the organisation of civil society 
>during the Summit preparatory process, including between the various 
>entities above. It is not a decision making entity, but decisions of 
>other entities will be circulated there. It is open to all 
>accredited entities, to registered bodies at WSIS meetings, and to 
>all civil society entities with an active interest in the WSIS.  The 
>e-mail address is <mailto:plenary at wsis-cs.org>plenary at wsis-cs.org
>
>7.       All the above entities will take action to ensure that, 
>within the available resources, key decisions are taken only after 
>consideration of the issues in the working languages of the Summit: 
>English, French and Spanish.
>
>
>Seán Ó Siochrú
>Wolfgang Kleinwaechter
>Renata Bloem 
>12/09/2003
>
>
>___________________________________________________
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