[WSIS CS-Plenary] APCNews on WSIS

[Anriette Esterhuysen]

Dear Lisa

I certainly did not intend for 'process' and 'substance' to be isolated from one another. 
They are interlinked, and impact on one another.

In fact, that is precisely my point. 

Process involves issues such as:
- who participates
- sequence
- how decisions are made
- rules of procedure and other elements that relate to the 'form' 

By substance I meant to refer simply to 'content', for example, human rights in the 
information society... how they apply? how they can secured? what areas of emerging 
regulation should be interrogated from a rights perspective? and so on.

I really do believe in the importance of process. It is a critical starting point, and good 
processes usually lead to better decisions, and leave a enduring legacy of networks, 
relationships, partnerships, learning.

But if we stay immersed in the rights and wrongs of who speaks for whom, in which 
language, we inevitably become distracted from focusing on content issues.

This results in a vicious circle, because it is usually only through focusing on content 
that people really discover where they agree and disagree, and that they get to grips 
with the policy issue at stake, in its various dimensions. 

Focusing on content also contextualises some aspects of process. The topic under 
discussion points usefully to who should participate.  E.g., if we are talking about 
increasing diversity of ownership and control in ICT industry with a view to 
strengthening the presence of public interest oriented investment, ownership and 
control by women entrepreneurs, and innovation for developing country users by 
developing country businesses... it would be pointless to not talk to and explore 
collaboration with the private sector.

In the case of the WSIS the time has definitely come to get down and work on content if 
we want to influence the outcomes (through making proposals, producing discussion 
papers, critiques of proposed language, alternative declarations etc.) This does not 
mean that critiques of this process, or other UN processes should be suspended.

But let us focus.  It is useful for some people to address participate processes 
constructively and critically. But then do so in a manner and space which does not 
undermine or limit focus on content issues.

Lisa, if I still fail to clarify the point let me know and I will try again.

Cheers

Anriette



> Dear Karen and all,
> 
> Thanks once again for encouraging a debate about 
> MSPs. I've read the APCNEWS special edition, and 
> I have a question for Anriette that I hope will 
> help to clarify and also further this discussion:
> 
> I am wondering about this distinction that you 
> are making between "process" and "substance" 
> whereby you suggest that some CS activists focus 
> too much on process and not enough on substance. 
> Please can you clarify how process and substance 
> should be isolated from one another in such a 
> way? For example, the undemocratic election 
> process in the US, which painfully produced GW 
> Bush, is difficult to extricate from what is at 
> present the substance of national, and sometimes 
> worldwide, debates.
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> Lisa
> 
> 
> 
> >Dear all,
> >
> >This month's (march) APCNEWS focuses on WSIS. 
> >The spanish version will be posted within a 
> >couple of days.
> >
> >thanks to all who shared resources, comments etc
> >
> >karen
> >
> >--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
> >                     SPECIAL EDITION
> >     WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY PREPCOM 2
> >--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
> >            *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the
> >       Association for Progressive Communications (APC)*
> >                 - March 2005 No. 51 -
> >--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
> >--THE ISSUES: INTERNET GOVERNANCE & FINANCING ICT FOR DEVELOPMENT--
> >--PREPCOM 2 FROM DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVES-- --HUMAN RIGHTS
> >& WSIS-- --MULTISTAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS-- --THE PEOPLE AT THE
> >PREPCOM -- --RECOMMENDED READING—- --WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
> >WSIS-RELATED WEBSITES-- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
> >--- --- --- ---
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Plenary mailing list
> Plenary at wsis-cs.org
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> 
> 
> 
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------------------------------------------------------
Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director
Association for Progressive Communications
anriette at apc.org
http://www.apc.org
PO Box 29755, Melville, South Africa. 2109
Tel. 27 11 726 1692
Fax 27 11 726 1692



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