[Values-ethics] WSIS - Ethics and essential benchmarks

[Bahiyyih Chaffers]

Dear Friends,

Ana and I were recently at Prepcom 3 Resumed.  Although we had no official
meetings of the Ethics & Values Caucus, we submitted the Caucus' work from
Prepcom 3 to the Content & Themes group.  We submitted proposals for the
following 3 documents:

1. Civil Society Visionary Declaration (we submitted our Oct. 13th text)
2. Civil Society Comments on the Action Plan (we submitted our final draft
from Prepcom 3)
3. Civil Society Essential Benchmarks (we submitted new text)

If you are on the Content and Themes list serve, you should of received a
copy of this last document called the "Civil Society Essential Benchmarks"
(I have inserted it below).

To my surprise, the proposal that Ana and I made on behalf the Ethics Caucus
was removed from the final draft.

This is what we proposed as an essential benchmark re ethics.  (Please note
that we used 'ethical dimension', as this is the term used in the
Declaration of Principals.):

Only when the ethical dimension is truly regarded as indispensable, will
we succeed in building capacity of individuals and communities that is
sustainable. The Information Society cannot be created through simple
formulae based merely on finance or the propagation of technology. The
Ethical dimension is a fundamental component for each paragraph of the
Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action.

The reason I think it was removed: it is seen by others that ethics are
included in the paragraph on human rights and also in the paragraph on
sustainable development.  I also believe that there may be some fear about
any 'religious' connotation that ethics might have for some.

We need to remind our fellow civil society members that this caucus is
inclusive of many groups, religious and non religious groups.


As a caucus we need to decide on the following. Please send your response
re:

1. whether you feel it necessary that Ethics be a separate benchmark in the
CS document

and

2. if yes, do you have any suggestions to improve the text


Please send comments to values-ethics at wsis-cs.org and we can make a decision
as a caucus and forward it to the Content and Themes.

Hoping that this finds you well.

Warm Regards,

Bahiyyih Chaffers