[WSIS CS-Plenary] CRIS and WSIS phase 2 prepcom 1

[Myriam Horngren]

CRIS and the World Summit on the Information Society Phase II/Prepcom 1:

The CRIS campaign has closely followed the developments around WSIS
phase II. CRIS has not yet adopted an 'official' position  because the
WSIS process itself has been slow in developing any kind of clear lines
of work since the Summit in Geneva in December last year. Yet,
discussions are underway amongst CRIS members.

CRIS was launched around and in relation to the World Summit on the
Information Society, with the aim to broaden the narrow technological
discourse and remit of the organising agency, the ITU, and infuse the
agenda with issues related to media governance and communication rights.

The campaign stated its position on a number of occasions towards the
official process before, during and after the World Forum on
Communication Rights, highlighting that many issues central to a
people-centred "Information Society" had simply been ignored and that
the process of a multi-stakeholder approach had been, at best, flawed.

Yet it has always been clear to CRIS that the WSIS was a golden
opportunity for Civil Society to mobilise at global level and to start
consolidating its discourse around these issues. CRIS did contribute to
forging a Civil Society consensus that was reflected in the elaboration
of a Civil Society Declaration. The CRIS campaign has openly and
publicly supported the document as well as the initiative of Civil
Society to work together.

In this spirit, CRIS will remain committed to the second phase of the
WSIS, prioritising its engagement with Civil Society over inter-action
with the intergovernmental process.  Our aim is to reinforce the
international and inter-thematic networking that took place during the
first phase of the Summit, and to continue to build on its role as a
gatherer and distributor of information. 

As a follow up to the World Forum on Communication Rights
(www.communicationrights.org) , CRIS will continue to focus on issues
systematically ignored by the WSIS, while emphasizing the need for civil
society to engage with the real poles of power in global governance of
communications: the 'free trade' regime of WTO, FTAA, and other regional
and bilateral trade agreements, as well as venues like WIPO and ICANN,
where communication rights face growing threats, and UNESCO where the
Cultural Diversity Convention demands our urgent support and
reinforcement.

It is urgent for Civil Society to address the impact of these
institutions at national, regional and global level and to end the
de-facto "ghettoisation" of Civil Society outside the sphere of real
decision-making.

Whilst the official WSIS process is in danger of stalling, we believe
that Civil Society does have a pivotal role to play in the second phase
of the Summit. WSIS gives all of us the opportunity to come together
again to explore and discuss these issues and bring them to the WSIS, to
the relevant international institutions and to our governments and
national constituencies.

The CRIS Campaign, 22 June 2004.

Contact:
Myriam Horngren
CRIS Network and Campaign Coordinator
c/o WACC
357 Kennington Lane
London SE11 5QY
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 (0) 207 582 9139
Fax: 44 (0) 207 735 0340
web: www.crisinfo.org 
email: mh at wacc.org.uk