World Summit on the Information Society 'CIVIL SOCIETY PLENARY GROUP'

----------
From: Sean O Siochru <(sean /at/ nexus.ie)>
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 11:04:53 +0000
To: (wsis-prep1 /at/ lists.cpsr.org),(Crisinfo /at/ comunica.org)
Subject: [CRIS Info] 2 page Civil Society Plenary Group summary

Hello everyone.

In text below  is a useful 2 page outline of the Civil
Society Plenary Group created at PrepCom 1.

The group is proposing to prepare a draft position of civil society by
December 7th (one of several deadlines for inputs into the PrepCom2
process).  more on this will follow.  This position will not, of course,
represent all of civil society - there are many others.  But we felt it was
vital to begin to put something on the table so that we can start debating
it. 

bye
Sean   
----------------------------------------

World Summit on the Information Society
 'CIVIL SOCIETY PLENARY GROUP'

An Invitation to Work Together

Civil Society is beginning the process of organising itself around the
WSIS.  The Civil Society Plenary Group is one of several groups that brings
together interested NGOs and civil society organisations for cooperation.
It neither claims, nor aspires to be, the only group - there may be many -
but it is open to all forms of interaction and co-operation with others.

Its origins are found in the first WSIS PrepCom in July 2002. Many of the
NGOs present organised themselves through a series of Civil Society Plenary
Meetings.  During these meetings a number of Sub-Committees and other
Groups were constituted or proposed.  At the final Plenary meeting, it was
decided that this Civil Society Plenary Group would continue to develop and
evolve.  Members of the emerging Sub-Committees, Caucuses and Working
Groups have also loosely formed a Civil Society Plenary Coordinating Group
(CSCG), for coordination between them.  CONGO was also asked to sit on the
CSCG, and as new groups emerge they can nominate a contact point.

The various groups forming under this umbrella are outlined below, and this
is an invitation to become involved in one or more of them - or indeed to
propose work in an area not covered. All Groups, like the Plenary Group
itself, are open ended, welcoming new members with common interests. The
sole criterion for associating is that contained in the UN's ECOSOC
guidelines (Resolution 1996/31) i.e. that an organisation's "aims and
purposes & shall be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles
of the Charter of the United Nations."  This is flexibly interpreted in
terms of 'organisation', to allow maximum participation from civil society.

The following Sub-Committees, Working Groups and Caucuses have been formed:

Sub Committees formed during PrepCom 1:
1. Sub-Committee on Participation:  Contact: Seán Ó Siochrú (sean /at/ nexus.ie)
Goal: To monitor and develop proposals for how civil society can
participate effectively in the WSIS process
2. Sub-Committee on Substance and Content: Contact: Sally Burch
(sburch /at/ alainet.org) or William J. McIver, Jr. (mciver /at/ albany.edu)
Goal: To monitor and to present proposals on relevant content and themes
into the intergovernmental WSIS process
3. Sub-Committee on Funding and Supporting NGO Participation: Contact:
Steve Buckley: (steve /at/ commedia.org.uk)
Goal: To brief, interact with and secure commitments from donors to support
NGO participation in the WSIS process.
Regional Caucuses: 
4. Asia Caucus: Contact: Gaurab Raj Upadhaya, (gaurab /at/ lahai.com)
Aim: To assert the Asian presence at the WSIS, by raising issues relevant
to the Asian Region.
5. African Caucus:  Contact: Emanuel Njenga  (africa.rights /at/ apc.org)
Aim: To strengthen and contribute to the effective participation of civil
society organizations from Africa to the WSIS.
6. European (North America) Caucus: Contact:  Valerie Peugot,
(vpeugeot /at/ vecam.org), Claire Shearman (claire.shearman /at/ mcr1.poptel.org.uk)
Aim: To enhance the effective participation of civil society organisations
in Europe and North America in the WSIS.
7. Latin American Caucus: Contact: Olinca Marino (info /at/ laneta.apc.org)  (In
Formation)
Issue Groups: 
8. Gender Issues Strategies Group: Contact: Susanna George
(susanna /at/ isiswomen.org)
Aim: develop strategies for gender advocacy within the WSIS context and in
for a that deal with related issues.
9. WSIS Youth Caucus: Contact Nick Moraitis (nick /at/ youthlink.org) or Sasha
Costanza-Chock, (schock /at/ asc.upenn.edu)
Aim: to mainstream youth perspectives into civil society, private sector,
and government input throughout the WSIS process.
10. Human Rights Caucus: Contact: Meryem Marzouki
(meryem.marzouki /at/ dial.oleane.com)
Aim:  To put Human Rights on the agenda of the WSIS
11. Technical/scientific sub-group: Contact: Robert Guerra
(rguerra /at/ privaterra.org)
Aim: to help WSIS actors understand scientific and technical issues of the
information society.
12. Communications Rights Caucus: Contact: Bruce Girard (bgirard /at/ comunica.org)
Aim: To ensure that communication rights are central to the WSIS, both in
the official proceedings and in related civil society initiatives.
13. Environment and ICT Working Group:  Contact: Thomas Ruddy,
(Thomas.Ruddy /at/ empa.ch)
Aim: To emphasize the combination ICT and the Environment meeting on the
WSIS agenda, and to draw linkages between the WSSD and the WSIS.
14. Indigenous Peoples Caucus: Contact: Robyn Kamira (kamira /at/ ihug.co.nz)
Aim:  To ensure that Indigenous Peoples are included explicitly, separately
and permanently in the WSIS consultation, participation and implementation
processes
13. Universities and Research Institutions Working Group: Contact:. Artur
Serra (artur /at/ ac.upc.es)
Aim: To develop proposals and projects to WSIS in relation to research and
education and to o promote the participation of the academic research and
education community in the WSIS process.
A number of other groups are in formation.

If you wish to become involved, please contact any of the above according
to your interest.
See: http://cris.comunica.org/documents/cscg/member_summary.doc for more
information on the groups; and for more on civil society at PrepCom1 see
http://www.wsis.info.





___________________________________________________
Seán Ó Siochrú  tel:  +353 1 473 0599 office
NEXUS Research fax: +353 1 473 0597 office
14 Eaton Brae   tel: +353 1 272 0739  home office
Shankill   fax: +353 1 272 0034 home office
Co. Dublin  e-mail: (sean /at/ nexus.ie)
Ireland   Web site: http://www.iol.ie/nexus