Status:
IGF Theme(s) for workshop: Internet Governance for Development [IG4D] cross cutting priority
Main theme question address by workshop: Question 1: How do various actors in the developing world--governments, industry groupings
Concise description of the proposed workshop:
This workshop –which takes the GISWatch 2012 report as the starting point – will explore how transparency and accountability can be strengthened in internet governance fora.
While numerous multi-stakeholder forums at the national, regional and global levels have been established in order to provide a way of collectively addressing the common concern of how the internet is used, evolves and is managed, these are not always successful. At times they provide little more than a token gesture towards transparency in important decision-making processes – while the real influence in the policy terrain occurs elsewhere (whether through undue pressure from powerful interested parties, or other strategically based groups).
This workshop will ask: What are the key challenges multi-stakeholder forums face in ensuring transparency and accountability in decision-making processes? Is “multi-stakeholderism” past its sell-by-date? What does it mean to be “transparent” and “accountable” in the internet domain? What mechanisms or steps are essential in realizing accountability?
Given the increasingly powerful economic and social impact of the internet on people’s lives, a rights-based approach to human development insists that we all know why decisions are being made, how they are made, and have a say in shaping those decisions. It is only through this way that citizens will be empowered, the negative influences of powerful groups limited and the legitimacy of decisions made by such for a be assured.
Background Paper:
Name of the organiser(s) of the workshop and their affiliation to various stakeholder groups:
Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (Hivos) - International development organisation
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) - Civil society
Have you, or any of your co-organisers, organised an IGF workshop before?: Yes
Please provide link(s) to workshop(s) or report(s):
Hivos:
IGF 2011, Nairobi
• Exporting the Internet: Human Rights and Technology
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
APC:
IGF 2011, Nairobi
• Open spectrum for development in the context of the digital migration
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
• Human rights: a unifying approach for development, freedom, access and diversity?
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
• Do policymakers understand the role of libraries in mobilising the internet as a catalyst for development, innovation and freedom?
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
• Women and internet governance http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
IGF 2010, Vilnius
• Sexual rights, openness and regulatory systems
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
• Applying a code of good practice on information, participation and transparency in Internet governance
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
• Protecting women’s rights: Internet content from a gender perspective
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=…
IGF 2009, Sharm El Sheikh
• A code of good practice on participation, access to information and transparency in internet governance
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/index.php/component/chronocontact/?chron…
• Content regulation, surveillance and sexuality rights
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/index.php/component/chronocontact/?chron…
IGF 2008, Hyderabad
• Promoting pro-poor access to ICTs
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/2008-igf-hyderabad/event-reports/72-work…
IGF 2007, Rio de Janeiro
• Towards a code of good practice on public participation in Internet governance - Building on the principles of WSIS and the Aarhus Convention
http://www.intgovforum.org/Rio_event_report.php?mem=28
• Regulatory frameworks for improving access
http://intgovforum.org/Rio_event_report.php?mem=26
• Content regulation and the duty of States to protect fundamental
rights
http://intgovforum.org/Rio_event_report.php?mem=19
IGF 2006, Athens
• Greening development through ICT and civic engagement
http://www.intgovforum.org/Athens_workshops/GreeningIT_Workshop_report_…
• Content regulations from gender and development perspective
http://igf.wgig.org/Athens_workshops/Content_Regulation.pdf
Provide the names and affiliations of the panellists you are planning to invite:
Heather Creech, Director of Global Connectivity at IISD
Ivan Sigal, director Global Voices Online: http://transparency.globalvoicesonline.org
Mendi director ATTI initiative: http://www.africatti.org
Alan Finlay, GISWatch Editor
Hivos delegate (TBC)
Government delegate (TBC)
Business delegate (TBC)
Name of Remote Moderator(s):