[WSIS CS-Plenary] CS statement on Solidarity Funding

[karen banks]

hi all

here's the Statement from yesterday's meeting (south/south-friends of the 
south)..

karen
[valeria: it would be great to get this translated..]
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Civil Society Statement on Information and Communication Solidarity Funding 
Mechanisms

Submitted by the Content and Themes Subcommittee with inputs from those 
present at the South-South and Friends of the South Meeting
WSIS Prep Com 3, 25 September 2003

Civil Society from the North joins Civil Society from the South in 
supporting a solidarity approach to the overall discussion of information 
society. For purposes of this statement, we addressed ICT actions and 
initiatives for global development.

We believe that an appropriate funding approach is one that links social 
solidarity to digital solidarity, both for existing as well as new funding 
mechanisms.

For both new and existing mechanisms, we believe that serious consideration 
should be given to the following concerns:

1. Mechanisms for the distribution and implementation of such funds must be 
fully transparent and accountable, and ensure that the funds will reach the 
people who need them. The cost of administering the fund need to be kept to 
a minimum.

2. Fair rules for distributing international telecom charges based on 
solidarity must be re-established.

3. Funding must not lead to further indebtedness and dependency to unequal 
trade relations, nor to privatization and deregulation. Funding must not to 
further reinforcing private and public monopolies.

4. Contributions to any newly established fund must reflect a 
multi-stakeholder participation, providing contributions from governments 
and the private and commercial sector as well as from citizens.

5. Funds must be managed and administered by people of the South.

6. Gender parity must exist in all such mechanisms and all spheres and in 
all levels of decision-making and implementation.

7. Funding mechanisms

- Should not be established under the simplistic notion that digital 
divides can be redressed mainly by addressing issues of infrastructure or 
connectivity. They must be accompanied by funding for education, 
applications, content, and dissemination.

- In order to ensure that the funds actually reach the most marginalized, 
mechanisms need to be set up to ensure distribution of these funds take 
into account intersectionality of race, class gender, ethnicity and other 
lines of discrimination.

- Must address traditional and community media, not only the Internet. It 
should take into full account low-end but appropriate technology, including 
indigenous knowledges.

- Must also be used to promote cultural and linguistic diversity.

- Must support technological sustainability, including the use and 
production of free software and the fostering of user-centered technology 
development practices.

For more information on this statement, contact: Susanna George 
<susanna at isiswomen.org>