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<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR> WSIS
Papers Newsletter - November 2005 No.
13<BR>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR> <BR> In
this issue: AFTER THE WSIS: THE TIME FOR BALANCE<BR> <BR> Content:
<BR> <BR> - The Summit from Geneva to Tunis<BR> - Civil Society,
a keyplayer in the WSIS<BR> - Internet governance<BR> - Financing
ICTD<BR> - Implementation and follow-up<BR> - Tunis: Information
society without freedom of expression?<BR> - Preliminary
analysis<BR> - Southern perspectives at WSIS - WSIS
Papers<BR> <BR> Available online
at:<BR> <BR> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org/">http://wsispapers.choike.org/</A><BR> <BR>-------------------------------------------------------
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
- a conference organized by the United Nations and aimed at discussing and
making decisions on issues related to information, communication and development
- emerged within the framework of the new millennium and the growing
"informatization" of societies, particularly in the developed world. One of the
main commitments undertaken by countries with regards to the WSIS process was to
achieve equitable access to and enjoyment of the benefits provided by new
information and communication technologies (ICTs) in all regions and social
sectors. The Summit was held in two phases (Geneva 2003 and Tunis 2005), with a
period of two years between them, for the purpose of drafting and putting
forward the documents that would outcome from the process.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The WSIS process has showed several peculiarities
from its early beginning. In the first place, due to the fact that its main
purpose - unlike most of the world summits organized by the United Nations - was
not to achieve a global agreement aimed at overcoming a global catastrophe (such
as hunger, overpopulation, gender inequities, etc.) but rather to promote
consensus in order to disseminate and ensure access to the benefits provided by
the new social model known as "information society" to all regions. Therefore,
the WSIS appears as an instance of decision-making aimed at addressing the
challenges posed by this social model, such as adequate financing sources for
its development or control over global Internet resources. The Summit has also
contributed new elements with regards to modalities of participation. Through
the implementation of a "multistakeholder" format, an increased level of
participation was allowed for all sectors involved, including the private sector
and civil society. Thus, the civil society organizations taking part in the
process had to take up the challenge posed by this new situation.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>With respect to the results of this long process -
although it is still too early for a concluding analysis - there is certain
consensus with regards to the fact that the Summit has given global visibility
to key issues for human development, such as the extremely high inequities in
terms of ICT access and use between the North and the South. However, one of the
most criticized items within the WSIS process was the lack of capacity to draw
up firm plans of action, aimed at implementing the measures proposed in the
vague declarations and commitments resulting from the event, as well as clear
and effective post-WSIS mechanisms for the purpose of its implementation and
follow-up. In this context, no sound agreements were established with regards to
the financing of ICT programmes in the least developed countries - one of the
key challenges of the Summit. Civil society members taking part in the process
have demanded the need to incorporate a clearer approach focused on public
policies in the area of ICTs for development.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Internet governance was maybe one of the issues
showing advances in terms of negotiations and where the discussion brought up
within the WSIS process - beyond specific results - can be regarded as
productive. In spite of the fact that no substantial changes were introduced to
the current governance system, the commitment to set up a multistakeholder
international forum (made up of governments, private sector and civil society)
where to discuss policies related to the Internet came as a result of
negotiations. Although ICANN’s structure (corporation in charge of managing
Internet domain names and IP addresses, supervised by the US Trade Department),
remains intact, analysts have acknowledged the creation of the forum as a novel
opening up. Civil society taking part in the process has welcomed the
initiative, adopting it as a further challenge within its new "decision-maker"
role. One of the greatest challenges now is to implement the inter-govermental
participation in ICT global governance in an effective and transparent way.
<BR> <BR>The evaluations of civil society organizations taking part in the
Summit in Tunis seem to be pointing out to an intermediate term as balance of
the event. The caution with regards to official results and new participatory
measures adopted was coupled with strong demands against the repression of
freedom of expression and human rights violations in Tunisia, where cases of
violence against activists and foreign journalists participating in the WSIS are
a sample of the atmosphere prevailing in the country. Within this context and in
view of the pressure exerted by Tunisian authorities, for example, the Citizen
Summit on the Information Society - proposed as a civil society side event to
the official Summit - had to be cancelled. Recently, civil society has demanded
in an open letter to the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, the
implementation of a post-WSIS monitoring process in Tunisia, as well as a
revision of UN mechanisms for appointing host countries and also for the
participation of civil society in world conferences. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Certain atmosphere of disappointment surrounds many
of those involved in the process in view of the little results achieved and the
expectations that were arisen at the beginning. One of the items on which civil
society has been more insistent refers to the follow-up to agreed commitments,
that is to say, the shift from rethorical plans of action to the actual practice
of actions. Now, the task faced by civil society is to carry out a follow-up to
actions taken by governments and international institutions, as well as to have
incidence on the new spaces for dialogue - at national, regional and global
levels - such as the Internet governance forum. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To sum up, it could be stated that the WSIS poses
more questions than solid agreements, in spite of the official promise to turn
it into a "summit of solutions". The Tunis Summit has not been vanguardist and
in many aspects Geneva commitments and declarations were reaffirmed. Being a
four-year decision-making process, more results were indeed expected, although
the opening up of spaces for dialogue on fundamental issues, whose results will
have to be reviewed later on, should also be highlighted as positive. To be
continued...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR> The
Summit from Geneva to
Tunis<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Geneva Plan of Action<BR>Source: ITU<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs/geneva/official/poa.html">http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs/geneva/official/poa.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Geneva Declaration of Principles <BR>Source:
ITU<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs/geneva/official/dop.html">http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs/geneva/official/dop.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Tunis Commitment <BR>Source: ITU<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/7.html">http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/7.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Tunis Agenda for the Information Society
<BR>Source: ITU<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/6rev1.html">http://www.itu.int/wsis/docs2/tunis/off/6rev1.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* World Summit on the Information Society: Geneva
2003 <BR>Source: Choike<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1955.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1955.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS phase II:Tunis 2005 <BR>Source:
Choike<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1956.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1956.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Civil
Society, a keyplayer in the
WSIS<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR>The
WSIS Civil Society Plenary on 15th November decided to draft a statement which
would assess the summit outcomes, based on the alternative declaration civil
society had produced during the first summit in Geneva in 2003. During the three
days of WSIS an open-ended drafting group met in the NGO space at the summit.
The first draft of the statement was presented to the last Civil Society Plenary
on 18 November, which decided that the work should continue online. The draft is
available at <A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/nav/14.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/nav/14.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Networking the networked / Closing the loop: Some
notes on WSIS II<BR>Source: CRIS<BR>Michael Gurstein<BR>"I didn't attend the
first Summit in Geneva... No particular reason to do so and no funds to provide
support. Those who did attend indicated that the major and lasting benefit that
they saw arising from their attendance at WSIS was the networking opportunities
that it afforded. And again, I guess, nothing wrong with this but, but... Hmm...
what about this "networking"... who is being networked to whom and for what
purpose one might ask", says Michael Gurstein in this article, questioning the
participation of civil society organizations in the WSIS process.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.crisinfo.org/content/view/full/1037">http://www.crisinfo.org/content/view/full/1037</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Creating spaces for civil society in the World
Summit on the Information Society<BR>Willie Currie<BR>In the aftermath of Tunis,
a critique of the civil society participation has emerged which constructs
the main value of WSIS as one of networking in a closed network of the
privileged, that in a self-serving way has perpetuated its existence by
advocating for an Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and has lost touch with the
grassroots and the issue of bridging the digital divide. While this critique has
some merit, it is too partial a view and dismisses the real gains that have been
made by civil society participation. Remove civil society from WSIS and there
would be no IGF, no new global policy space for considering broad public policy
issues affecting the internet, including access to the internet and the digital
divide. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3659.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3659.html</A>
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* The close of WSIS: The civil society verdict
<BR>Source: APC WSIS Blog<BR>Civil society representatives from all continents
lined up on a panel to deliver a stark closing statement for the WSIS. Even
though the speakers made it clear that a more detailed statement will be made
available within two weeks, four points were addressed: internet governance,
human rights, financing and development, and follow-up. The press conference
essentially driven by questions of the audience, revolved around issues of
development through ICTs.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3618.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3618.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Social movements gained much at WSIS<BR>Source:
TerraViva<BR>The World Summit on the Information Society was important for
social movements to help them develop a better understanding of communication
issues and it allowed different groups and different struggles to network. Terra
Viva asked Sally Burch from the Communication Rights in the Information Society
campaign to comment on how the summit helped social movements to mobilise around
communications issues. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.ipsterraviva.net/TV/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=429">http://www.ipsterraviva.net/TV/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=429</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Where to next? <BR>Source: Heinrich Boell
Foundation<BR>As the WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis, 16-18
November) summit draws to a close, civil society groups are reflecting on the
past but also looking at the road ahead. In a gathering organised by the CRIS
(Communication Rights in the Information Society) Campaign on Friday afternoon,
key participants of the civil society processes of the past 4 years proposed
ways of keeping up the pressure and making sure that the visions that were
developed around the WSIS process will be implemented. The event highlighted a
wide variety of projects that will keep civil society actors busy during the
upcoming months and years.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/835.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/835.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Civil Society: Evaluations of the
involvement in WSIS<BR>Source: Heinrich Boell Foundation<BR>Charlotte
Dany<BR>Now that the WSIS has come to an end in Tunis, civil society
organisations evaluate their involvement in the process to learn from the
experiences made. Several side events of WSIS addressed examples of best
practices of civil society participation. In sharing good experiences, while not
neglecting challenges, civil society organisations may improve their performance
in the future. WSIS is not the end, but the starting point for the
implementation process in which civil society is supposed to play a crucial role
as partner to governments and the private sector.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/839.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/839.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Gender and the World Summit on the Information
Society<BR>Source: World Association for Cristian Communication (WACC)<BR>This
issue of the WACC Media and Gender Monitor asks five gender and ICT activists
from different regions of the world, all of whom have been actively involved in
the WSIS process, to assess the opportunities and challenges that the WSIS has
presented for gender advocates and ultimately questions what impact the WSIS
process will have on the promotion of gender equality worldwide. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.wacc.org.uk/wacc/publications/media_and_gender_monitor/issue_17/forum_gender_and_the_world_summit_on_the_information_society_wsis">http://www.wacc.org.uk/wacc/publications/media_and_gender_monitor/issue_17/forum_gender_and_the_world_summit_on_the_information_society_wsis</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Internet
governance<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Five more years! There was no "deal" and WSIS
resolved nothing<BR>Source: Circle ID <BR>Milton Mueller<BR>The basic
problem posed by WSIS was the role of national governments and national
sovereignty in global Internet governance. That conflict remains completely
unresolved by the WSIS document. The new Internet Governance Forum is a real
victory for the civil society actors, but we still don’t know whether this Forum
will be based on true peer-peer based interactions among governments, business
and civil society, or whether it will reserve special policy making functions to
governments, says Milton Mueller.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.circleid.com/posts/no_deal_wsis_resolved_nothing/">http://www.circleid.com/posts/no_deal_wsis_resolved_nothing/</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Internet governance and WSIS: who won? In a
certain way, the world has won<BR>Carlos Afonso<BR>There is a bit of confusion
in the interpretation of the results from the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) which had its second phase ended in Tunis in November, 2005. For
some nothing changed, but the truth is that the WSIS process as a whole has led
to several important gains. Actually, the entire WSIS process during these five
years (the initial proposal for a summit was born in 2000) has contributed
enormously to make the general public aware of relevant ICT-related concepts and
actions for social inclusion and human development.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3653.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3653.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Notes from Tunis: The New Internet Governance
Forum <BR>Source: The Huffington Post<BR>James Love<BR>The final text on
Internet Governance was agreed at the World Summit on the Information Society.
The two quick sounds bites are that (1) the US and the US based Internet
Corporation for Domain Names and Numbers (ICANN) retain, for now, control over
the most important aspects of the global Internet Domain Name System (DNS), and
(2) the conversation over this issue and a surprisingly broader governance
agenda is continuing, under the United Nations. The Tunis resolution will create
a new "multi-stakeholder" Internet Governance Forum (IGF). This new entity will
include governments, various UN agencies, businesses and civil
society.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-love/notes-from-tunis-the-n_b_10698.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-love/notes-from-tunis-the-n_b_10698.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* US to stay in charge of Internet <BR>Source:
IPS<BR>The WSIS kicks off Wednesday with a compromise document approved
unanimously after several months of fruitless negotiations. The document was
hailed late Tuesday with a half-hearted standing ovation. The discontent arises
because the Internet status quo has been maintained, allowing the US- based
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to continue as the
main governing body of the global computer network. The outcome is likely to
further upset civil society groups who have found themselves frustrated by
intimidating security measures that have isolated foreign delegates, journalists
and non-governmental organisations from local groups.<BR>--> <A
href="http://ipsnews.org/news.asp?idnews=31033">http://ipsnews.org/news.asp?idnews=31033</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Internet governance: NGOs dissapointed with
declarations<BR>Source: TerraViva<BR>Stefania Milan <BR>Civil society groups
have reacted with disappointment at the decision to leave control of the
Internet in the hands of the United States. An Internet governance forum has
been set up to debate the future structure of the net. It will include civil
society actors and businesses, but its decisions will not be binding. NGOs
seemed divided on the benefits of a forum like this. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.ipsterraviva.net/tv/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=364">http://www.ipsterraviva.net/tv/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=364</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Internet must be a public facility <BR>Source:
IPS<BR>Stefania Milan<BR>Civil society will now have a formal role to play in
Internet governance through the newly set up Internet Governance Forum. It is
considering who will represent it at the forum that will advise the ICANN, the
U.S.-based non-profit private organisation currently managing the Internet. The
digital divide can be overcome only if the Internet is seen as public good, and
governments must set the rules for the private sector to get engaged, says Anita
Gurumurthy from the Indian non-governmental organisation IT for Change<BR>-->
<A
href="http://www.ipsterraviva.net/tv/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=403">http://www.ipsterraviva.net/tv/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=403</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* APC's recommendations to the WSIS on Internet
governance <BR>Source: APC<BR>APC has participated extensively in the Internet
Governance proccess at the World Summit on the Information Society. Out of this
participation, and in collaboration with other partners, including members of
the WSIS civil society Internet governance caucus, APC has crystallized a set of
recommendations with regard to Internet Governance ahead of the final Summit in
Tunis in November 2005. PDF format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://rights.apc.org/documents/apc_recommendations_ig_EN.pdf">http://rights.apc.org/documents/apc_recommendations_ig_EN.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Internet Governance - A review in the context of
the WSIS process <BR>Source: WSIS Papers<BR>Carlos Afonso <BR>This document
provides information on the current Internet governance transition processes,
discussing some of the approaches being submitted to public discussion, and
reviews the final report of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG). It
also provides brief historical and reference information on the current global
governance system specifically created for the Internet -in this text referred
to as the ICANN system. In addition, it presents a review of the perspectives on
Internet governance from the point of view of the organized groups of civil
society organizations who have been involved in the corresponding discussions
both within and outside the WGIG. PDF format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org//papers/eng/carlos_internet_governance.pdf">http://wsispapers.choike.org//papers/eng/carlos_internet_governance.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Financing
ICTD<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* The forgotten agenda...<BR>Source:
APC<BR>Frederick Noronha<BR>With the focus at Tunis largely on who controls the
Net, and the far-from-sophisticated control mechanisms of Tunisian society, the
issue of what the Net can - and is - doing for the excluded in the planet might
have taken a back seat.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2528874">http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2528874</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Waiting for pilots to land in Tunis <BR>Source:
Islamonline.net <BR>Nalaka Gunawardene<BR>As the UN-convened World Summit on the
Information Society ends, there are still too many pilots hovering around,
looking for landing space. In fact, it is uncertain when - or whether - some of
these pilots will ever touch the ground. For they are the creations of
development donors or well-meaning civil society groups, many completely
detached from the real world.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.islam-online.net/English/Science/2005/11/article10.shtml">http://www.islam-online.net/English/Science/2005/11/article10.shtml</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Political economy of the information society: A
Southern view <BR>Source: WSIS Papers<BR>Anita Gurumurthy and Parminder Jeet
Singh<BR>It is necessary to see the emerging information society in a political
economy framework, from the point of view of development. The starting point for
this exercise is to create a new theory of ICT for development, or an
"information society for the South", that gives the historical, the social and
the political sufficient space alongside the economic. It is important that
powerful South-South alliances are built, with participation from across
sub-national and local governments as well as traditional civil society and
grassroots organizations, for evolving a new paradigm of a development-oriented
information society for the South. PDF format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org//briefings/eng/political_economy_is_edit.pdf">http://wsispapers.choike.org//briefings/eng/political_economy_is_edit.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Finance of information and communication
technologies for development at PrepCom 2<BR>Source: APC <BR>Willie Currie
<BR>This report reviews the issue of financing ICTs in developing countries at
the WSIS II second preparatory meeting held in Geneva between 17-25 February
2005, where the final report of the Task Force on Financial Mechanisms for ICTD
was presented for discussion and negotiation. The various presentations an
debates showed that ICT financing is usually an opaque matter as well as an
intensely ideological issue. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=31483">http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=31483</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Who pays for the Information Society. Challenges
and Issues on financing the Information Society<BR>Source: Pain pour le Prochain
- Bread for All<BR>Bread for All and Comunica-ch, the swiss civil society
platform for the information society, released the publication "Who pays for the
Information Society. Challenges and Issues on financing the Information
Society." This booklet is in two parts. The first part is a critique of
the debates and work on financing conducted in the WSIS process. The second part
focuses on proposals and aims to give a certain number of inputs to the WSIS
debate, especially on the issue of international public financing or official
development aid. PDF format.<BR><A
href="http://www.ppp.ch/cms/IMG/Financing_IS.pdf">http://www.ppp.ch/cms/IMG/Financing_IS.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Financing ICTs for development with focus on
poverty <BR>Source: WSIS Papers<BR>Lishan Adam <BR>The mainstream ICT financing
mechanisms' debate should pay a great deal of attention to the needs of the poor
and the question of "who is being served for what purpose" should be addressed
when defining financial mechanisms and strategies. Financing ICT with a focus on
poverty means scaling up ICT investment from the level of pilot projects to
their integration in government services strategies - notably agriculture,
education - and in support of the Millennium Development Goals. Such a spirit
would be important to consider access to information and communication as a
public good and move forward the Digital Solidarity Agenda agreed in the context
of the WSIS. PDF format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org//papers/eng/lishan_ict_poverty.pdf">http://wsispapers.choike.org//papers/eng/lishan_ict_poverty.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Mechanisms for financing the information society
from a global public goods perspective <BR>Source: WSIS Papers<BR>Fernando Prada
<BR>The WSIS has prompted negotiations geared to obtain an international
commitment which would allow the benefits of the information society to be
extended worldwide by 2015. The discussions centered on the financial mechanisms
to meet these challenges, recognizing the role of information and communication
technologies on social and economic development. This document proposes
financing strategies for information and communication technologies within the
GPG conceptual framework. Several combinations of financial mechanisms are
evaluated which could facilitate the growth of international cooperation flows
for developing the Information Society in Southern countries. PDF
format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org//papers/eng/fernando_is_gpg.pdf">http://wsispapers.choike.org//papers/eng/fernando_is_gpg.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Implementation
and
follow-up<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Commission on Science & Technology for
Development<BR>The ECOSOC Functional Commission in charge of the WSIS follow-up
process.<BR>--> <A
href="http://stdev.unctad.org/">http://stdev.unctad.org/</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* United Nations System Chief Executives Board
(CEB) for Coordination <BR>The "Tunis Agenda for the Information Society"
request "the UN Secretary-General, in consultation with members of the UN system
Chief Executives Board for coordination (CEB), to establish within the CEB, a UN
Group on the Information Society consisting of the relevant UN bodies and
organisations with the mandate to facilitate the implementation of WSIS outcomes
and to suggest to CEB that, in considering lead agency(ies) of this Group, it
takes into consideration the experience of and activities in the WSIS process
undertaken by ITU, UNESCO and UNDP".<BR>--> <A
href="http://ceb.unsystem.org/">http://ceb.unsystem.org/</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Statement by Civil Society Working Group on
Follow-up at PrepCom-3<BR>"We understand that there is a proposal to use the
existing ECOSOC functional Commission on Science and Technology for Development
for implementation and follow-up of WSIS. In our view, this would represent a
retrograde step if were to imply that we see ICTs only as a Technology issue
rather than one with far wider socio-political and economic implications", reads
this statement made by the Civil Society Working Group on Follow-up during the
third meeting of the WSIS Preparatory Committee, in Geneva.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3656.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3656.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Discussions on implementation and follow-up after
WSIS<BR>Source: Heinrich-Böll-Foundation<BR>This background document provides
information on the setting of the implementation and follow-up debate in the
last stages of the WSIS process.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/756.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/756.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* After Tunis: A Summit without implementation and
civil society? <BR>Source: Heinrich-Böll-Foundation<BR>Background document
on civil society positions during WSIS preparatory process, when committment to
implementation and multi-stakeholder follow-up dropped from the draft official
documents.<BR><A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/781.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/781.htm</A><BR> <BR>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Tunis:
Information society without freedom of
expression?<BR>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS Civil Society Human Rights Caucus assessment
of Tunis Phase<BR>The lack of improvement of the human rights situation in
Tunisia has not been the only source of disappointment and concern for human
rights groups in relation to WSIS. In its assessment of the Tunis phase, the
WSIS Civil Society Human Rights Caucus (HRC) also deplores that the
substance of the governments' commitments to human rights has been kept minimal,
and that the WSIS process has been characterized by the reign of the arbitrary,
says Meryem Marzouki, co-coordinator of the HRC. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3658.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3658.html</A>
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Civil society open letter to Kofi Annan
<BR>Source: Citizen's Summit on the Information Society <BR>Civil society open
letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in response to the attacks
on human rights and freedom of expression that took place in Tunisia on the eve
of and during the WSIS: "We believe it is essential that lessons are learnt from
what has taken place here this week and we therefore call upon you, the
Secretary General of the United Nations, to launch a full investigation into the
attacks on human rights and freedom of expression that we have witnessed in
Tunisia both in the run-up to and during the World Summit on the Information
Society". <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.citizens-summit.org/Letter-SecGen-241105.shtml">http://www.citizens-summit.org/Letter-SecGen-241105.shtml</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Citizens' Summit on the Information Society calls
for support in the face of political pressure <BR>Source: Citizens' Summit on
the Information Society<BR>The Citizens' Summit on the Information Society
(CSIS), planned as a civil society side event of the World Summit on the
Information Society (Tunis, 16-18 November), launched its website with a call
for solidarity and support. More than 80 international civil society
organizations and coalitions have pledged their support and plan to take part in
the three-day Citizens Summit, but the venue previously confirmed for the event
was withdrawn at the last minute for reasons that CSIS organisers believed to be
in response to political pressure from the Tunisian government. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3578.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3578.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Repression in Tunis and the World Summit on the
Information Society<BR>Source: Pambazuka<BR>Patrick Burnett <BR>In the days
leading up to the official opening of the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) in Tunis, the Tunisian authorities blocked plans to hold an
alternative civil society forum, harassed human rights activists, confiscated
cameras, insulted and beat people, shut down a website and disrupted meetings at
the official summit venue. <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=30399">http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=30399</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* "Never again" say freedom of expression groups
<BR>Source: IFEX<BR>Media and freedom of expression groups called, at the
conclusion of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS), for a full investigation by the United Nations into attacks on human
rights and freedom of expression that took place in Tunisia on the eve of and
during the Summit.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/70565/">http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/70565/</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS: Human rights solidarity action by
international civil society organisations <BR>Source: Choike<BR>During a
preparatory meeting in Geneva in September 2005, a coalition of 19
organisations, consisting of international and national Tunisian NGOs, agreed to
hold a Citizens’ Summit on the Information Society (CSIS) as a side event to the
WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) in Tunis. However, in the light
of events that occurred in Tunis, several international civil society
organisations cancelled their side events at the WSIS. This action was not
planned in advance and was a direct response to the abnormal circumstances in
which the Tunis Summit was taking place.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3589.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3589.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* The Citizens' Summit is dead - long live the
Citizens' Summit! <BR>Source: Heinrich Boell Foundation<BR>The Tunisian
authorities have done all they can to prevent civil society events outside the
official WSIS area. But civil society activists finally succeeded in getting the
upper hand against state repression. A press conference to announce the
cancellation of the Citizens Summit transformed into a major human rights event
and was followed on the next day by a rally by oppositional groups. They
denounced the repression against civil society activities in Tunisia and showed
strong support to the local human rights groups<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/830.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/830.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Flagrant violation of human rights<BR>Source: APC
WSIS Blog<BR>Under the incredulous eyes of the participants at the World Summit
on the Information Society (WSIS), journalists and human rights defenders were
manhandled, insulted, and then violently beaten.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2431813">http://www.apc.org/english/wsis/blog/index.shtml?x=2431813</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Tunisian government obstructs civil society
events <BR>Source: Heinrich Boell Foundation<BR>As the WSIS summit draws closer,
the Tunisian authorities are continuing to prevent any civil society events
taking place outside the summit compound. Recently, Tunisian police blocked the
Goethe Institut where a preparation meeting for the Citizens Summit was to take
place. The Citizens Summit has been planned as a parallel event to take place in
the city centre of Tunis. The idea has been to organise a civil society space,
separate from the official summit, for critical debates on the summit
themes.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/nav/14.htm">http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/nav/14.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Violence breaks out before Internet summit
<BR>Source: ZD Net<BR>Just days before the United Nations-sponsored World Summit
on the Information Society begins in Tunis, Tunisia, watchdog groups are
reporting clashes with authorities and violence toward at least one journalist
in the North African city of about 10 million people.The groups say the country
is unfit to host the international summit because of its track record for
censorship. The Tunisian government has earned notoriety for jailing journalists
and bloggers accused of reporting false information.<BR>--> <A
href="http://newsletters.zdnetuk.cneteu.net/t/88786/940139/75188/0/">http://newsletters.zdnetuk.cneteu.net/t/88786/940139/75188/0/</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Statement of the Civil Society Media Caucus
<BR>Civil Society's Media Caucus at WSIS expresses its indignation over a series
of incidents in which Tunisian authorities have hampered the freedom of
expression of journalist and their freedom of association as well as that of
others attending the Tunis phase of the World Summit on the Information
Society.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3593.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3593.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Women's Statement on Tunisian Human Rights
situation <BR>Source: GenderIT.org<BR>We, women’s organisations, individuals and
networks gathered in Tunis for Phase II of the World Summit on the Information
Society, denounce blatant violations of human rights, freedom of expression,
access to information and freedom of assembly by the Tunisian government. We
demand the Tunisian government to put an end to the human rights violations. It
is intolerable that we are experiencing serious violations of basic human rights
even as we gather here to shape a just and equitable Information
Society.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=r&x=91870">http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=r&x=91870</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS aftermath: Who cares about human
rights?<BR>Source: Pambazuka<BR>Patrick Burnett<BR>Just days before the WSIS got
under way in Tunis last week, United States State Department spokesman Adam
Ereli expressed concern about restrictions on freedom of speech and political
activity in Tunisia . Over the next few days, the Tunisian government made quite
clear that it would not tolerate freedom of expression. This prompted the
official US delegation to the United Nations sponsored summit to express some
disappointment at the role of the Tunisian government. Interestingly, at the
same time as the US decries the human rights situation in the country, Tunisia
remains an important ally in the US ‘war on terror’.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=30543">http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=30543</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Tunisia Monitoring Group <BR>Source: IFEX<BR>The
Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) is a coalition of 14 organisations that belong to
the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) network. The TMG
monitors free expression violations in Tunisia to focus attention on the
country's need to improve its human rights record as the host of the November
2005 World Summit on the Information Society. <BR>--> <A
href="http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg/index.html">http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg/index.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Preliminary
analysis<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* An assessment of the WSIS outcomes <BR>Source:
Internet & Public Policy Project<BR>A report by IP3 (Internet & Public
Policy Project) presents the main outcomes of the Tunis World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) and states that one of the most important results is
the the launch of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The IGF can be thought of
as a continuation of the WSIS, since it provides a place for multistakeholder
discussion of a very large number of issues. The key question here is whether
governments embrace it. PDF format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.ip3.gatech.edu/images/Significance_of_WSIS-II_Tunis-05.pdf">http://www.ip3.gatech.edu/images/Significance_of_WSIS-II_Tunis-05.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS is over, but the debate has just
begun<BR>Source: PANOS<BR>The information society is broader than the agenda of
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) could ever have hoped to
cover. And the resulting non-binding Tunis Declaration has produced little in
concrete terms for developing countries. Everyone knew this before the Tunis
phase of WSIS even started. So why did some 20,000 delegates bother to turn up?
At the end of the day, was it worth it?<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.panos.org.uk/iwitness/summit/shanmugavelan.asp">http://www.panos.org.uk/iwitness/summit/shanmugavelan.asp</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS proves a Summit of unsolved solutions
<BR>Source: Ohmy News <BR>Up to an estimated 30,000 people came from around the
globe to a high level United Nations sponsored Summit meeting. That WSIS was
called to set the goal for everyone in the world to have access to computers and
to the Internet is itself an achievement of a high order. However, as regards to
Internet governance, the author of this article states that "It was clear from
the Tunis Summit that the frustration expressed by governments around the world
that was not addressed, will continue to impact Internet governance developments
in various ways."<BR>--> <A
href="http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=295197">http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=295197</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS ends on mixed notes<BR>Source:
TerraViva<BR>Hilmi Toros <BR>The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
concluded Friday night with claims of success by the United Nations, governments
and the private sector, but civil society refused to wholeheartedly embrace its
outcome<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.ipsterraviva.net/TV/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=408">http://www.ipsterraviva.net/TV/tunis/viewstory.asp?idnews=408</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR> Southern
perspectives at WSIS - WSIS
Papers<BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Information Society for the South: Vision or
hallucination? <BR>The papers included in this volume -as well as in-depth
research papers on which they are based- were produced in the context of the
WSIS Papers project, developed by ITeM and supported by the IDRC. Southern
stakeholders need timely and appropriate information to have an active and
effective role in global negotiations -such as the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS). WSIS Papers was aimed at contributing to the
materialization of an Information Society for the South by supporting well
informed decision-making during the second phase of the WSIS process. All texts
are in PDF format.<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3592.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3592.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Research papers<BR>The research and briefing
papers included in the "WSIS Papers" series are intended to provide valuable
input into the WSIS decision-making process. This project is based on the
perspective that it is essential that decision-makers and the civil society
organizations that are able to have an active role in these discussions (in all
and any fora in which they are presented, including WSIS, but also current
processes at WIPO, UNESCO, IFIs and the WTO) have timely and appropriate
information and analysis about the issues at stake, their impact and the
possible alternatives.<BR>--> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org/papers.html">http://wsispapers.choike.org/papers.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* WSIS Papers Newsletter - Issues in ICT global
policies <BR>These monthly reports are aimed at improving the visibility and
accesibility of existing information on key ICT issues, with the goal of
fostering Southern participation in the definition and implementation of global
ICT policies. Some of these reports are based on research papers produced in the
context of the WSIS Papers project and some others are complementary to the
findings and proposals included in the papers. <BR>--> <A
href="http://wsispapers.choike.org/boletin/index.html">http://wsispapers.choike.org/boletin/index.html</A>
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>-------------------------------------------------------<BR> Related
Choike's in-depth
reports<BR>-------------------------------------------------------<BR> <BR>*
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/703.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/703.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Internet governance: Everybody's business in the
Information Society <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3292.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3292.html</A><BR> <BR>*
E-strategies: constructing the information society <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3195.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/3195.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* The right to communicate <BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1215.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1215.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Software Patents<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1155.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1155.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>* Universal Access Funds<BR>--> <A
href="http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/2804.html">http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/2804.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2><BR>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>-
"WSIS Papers" and "Choike" are projects of the<BR>Instituto del Tercer Mundo
(ITeM) - Third World Institute<BR> <BR>- "WSIS Papers" is supported
by the<BR>International Development Research Centre (IDRC) /
PanAmericas<BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>