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compiled by Kanti
Kumar
A
Knowledge-driven
Society
What is WSIS?
Background:
Academic Concepts
Background:
Issues
Actors
in WSIS
Schedule
Civil
Society at WSIS
Other
Civil Society
Activities
Issues
for Civil Society
Procedures
for Civil Society's
Participation
Related
Links
A
KNOWLEDGE-DRIVEN
SOCIETY
The
penetration of
all aspects of
life with information
and communication
technologies
(ICTs) and the
digitization
of information
offer new chances
for a comprehensive
and just participation
of all humans
in the decisive
driving force
of our society:
knowledge. This
unique, non-exhaustible
good, however,
is increasingly
and intentionally
made scarce by
a restrictive
copyright, patent
and licensing
policy of the
rights' owners
in the countries
of the North.
New inequality
and societal
divides will
be the result
- within the
countries of
the North as
well as between
North and South.
Many
propagate the
concept of an
"information
society", because
they want to
continue the
ruling power
relations of
the industrial
society under
changed technological
conditions. From
this perspective,
the expansion
of information
markets, the
control of information
under the principle
of private property,
and the scarcity
of knowledge
are primary goals.
Others, instead,
subscribe to
the concept of
a "knowledge
society". They
want to put an
emphasis on the
acting capacity
of the subjects,
who by their
ability to learn
and by their
creativity, determine
the progress
of the learning
society themselves.
From this perspective,
information markets
and the protection
of intellectual
property are
not ends in themselves,
but means for
the furthering
of the common
welfare.
Even
though the World
Summit on the
Information Society
(WSIS) has been
defined as a
summit on the
"Information
Society", there
is not an unanimous
consensus amongst
the actors involved
on whether that
term describes
best what we
are witnessing.
Particularly
parts of civil
society, but
also institutional
actors such as
UNESCO, regard
the reference
to "information"
as well as to
information and
communication
technologies
as a concept
too reduced to
take the wider
hopes and opportunities
into account
which accompany
the issues discussed
at the summit.
They prefer the
terms of a communication
society, or a
knowledge society.
During
the whole of
history, knowledge
and information
have played a
crucial role
for social development.
However today,
and with the
new potential
of ICTs enabling
collective participation
in the generation
of knowledge,
people's knowledge
can become the
driving force
for a more democratic
and just society.
The WSIS offers
a chance to agree
upon the challenges
and the needs
to shape the
global knowledge
society.
WHAT
IS WSIS?
The
WSIS goes back
to an idea from
the Tunisian
government, which
led to a decision
by the UN. The
United Nations
in turn tasked
the International
Telecommunications
Union (ITU) with
organising the
summit. In 2001,
the ITU set up
a summit secretariat,
which developed
the structure
of the WSIS and
a first draft
of content and
themes. In the
same year, the
CRIS campaign
(Communication
Rights in the
Information Society)
formulated a
first civil society
position towards
the summit.
The
stated intention
of the WSIS is
to provide a
unique opportunity
for all key stakeholders
to assemble at
a high-level
gathering and
develop a better
understanding
of the information
revolution and
its impact on
the international
community. Whether
this goal will
be attained remains
to be seen. Nevertheless,
it is an important
opportunity for
civil society
organisations
to critically
engage ICT for
development issues.
The
WSIS is the latest
in a long series
of world summits
organised by
the United Nations
that deal with
central questions
of humanity.
Especially in
the decade from
1992 to 2002,
starting with
the world summit
on environment
and development
in Rio de Janeiro
and ending with
the Rio+10 conference
in Johannesburg,
there have been
a number of world
conferences organised
around UN-related
themes. At the
WSIS, information
and communication
are on the agenda
for the first
time. The world
summit is supposed
to develop a
common understanding
of the information
society.
Not only the general
theme is new, but
as well the structure
of the summit,
which will take
place in two parts
for the first time
in the history
of UN summits.
Geneva
2003: First Phase
The first phase
of the World
Summit will take
place in Geneva
hosted by the
Government of
Switzerland from
10 to 12 December
2003. It will
address a range
of themes concerning
the Information
Society and adopt
a Declaration
of Principles
and Plan of Action.
Tunis
2005: Second
Phase
The second phase
of the World
Summit will take
place in Tunis
hosted by the
Government of
Tunisia, in 2005.
Development themes
will be a key
focus during
this phase. Progress
will be assessed
and a further
plan of action
adopted if necessary.
The
importance of
this series of
world summits
lies not only
in dealing with
central themes
for humanity,
but also in involving
new actors. Since
Rio 1992, not
only government
delegations have
been discussing
with each other,
but non-governmental
organisations,
e.g. from the
environmental
or human rights
context, are
now present and
involved as well
as business sector
associations.
This is a recognition
of the fact that
governments alone
can not solve
the present problems
anymore. The
negotiations
for the WSIS
include the three
actor groups:
state, private
sector and civil
society. International
institutions,
especially the
relevant UN bodies,
are involved
in the summit
process, too.
For
more details,
visit the official
WSIS Website
BACKGROUND:
ACADEMIC CONCEPTS
The
debate on the
information society
has been going
on for several
decades. In the
beginning - since
the late 1950s
- academics have
been observing
the formation
of a new form
of society, and
saw information
and communication
as its basis.
After the step
from an agrarian
society towards
the industrial
society some
200 to 300 years
ago, they argued,
we are now again
on the verge
of a new social
structure - the
information society.
Instead of craftsmanship
or the possession
of the means
of production,
knowledge and
the processing
of information
would be decisive
in the future.
Modernisation
Since the 1970s
however, people
have increasingly
questioned the
rise of a qualitatively
new societal
form. They have
insisted that,
even though information
and communication
play a much more
important role
nowadays, the
basic forms of
governance and
domination in
our societies
have stayed the
same. In the
late eighties,
the term "information
society" was
discovered by
the political
establishment
and was understood
as a potential
concept for modernising
mainly western
societies. There
were hopes, for
example, for
transforming
boring industrial
routine work
into more challenging
information work.
But privatisation
and neo-liberal
restructuring
were often coupled
with the concept
of the information
society. One
example is the
growth of information
channels that
followed the
deregulation
and privatisation
of TV and radio
markets in Europe
Digital
Divide
In the
1990s, the importance
of information
and communication
media for developing
countries gained
more attention.
Many governments
from the global
South see the
lack of infrastructures,
e.g. missing
Internet connections,
as the main roadblock
for fighting
poverty. Building
up these infrastructures,
therefore, would
be a necessary
precondition
for development.
NGOs working
in the South
also see the
digital divide
as one of their
areas of activities.
Last but not
least, the private
sector is using
this debate for
developing a
growing demand
for technical
products and
services and
for setting the
terms and conditions
for investments
in less developed
countries.
Accordingly,
the fight against
poverty and for
development with
the help of better
access to ICTs
were at the very
centre of the
original United
Nations call
for this world
summit on the
information society
at the end of
the 1990s.
New
World Information
and Communication
Order
Another
important aspect
to consider is
the debate on
a new information
and communication
order that took
place within
the United Nations
framework during
the 1970s and
1980s. Governments
from the South
criticised the
uneven and one-sided
flow of information
from the North
to the South
and attempted
to build up their
own information
structures. The
governments of
the North were
increasingly
blocking these
claims. The conflict
eventually led
the USA and Great
Britain leaving
UNESCO, which
had been supporting
the initiative
from the South.
The experiences
form this confrontation
certainly represent
a main reason
why so many governments
from the North
are sceptical
towards a new
summit on information-related
questions.
Additional
Organisations
Rules and concepts
for the information
society are of
course not only
discussed in
the WSIS process.
A number of international
organisations,
within and outside
the UN body,
have been dealing
with questions
discussed at
the summit on
a continuous
basis for years.
Just to mention
a few: The International
Telecommunications
Union (ITU)
is working on
technical infrastructure
issues such as
frequency spectrum
usage and standardisation;
the United
Nations Educational,
Scientific and
Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO)
is debating a
number of themes
relevant to the
WSIS - among
others education,
free speech,
cultural diversity
and intellectual
property; the
latter is the
main focus of
the World
Intellectual
Property Organisation
(WIPO); and
last but not
least a number
of further aspects
of information
exchange or intellectual
property are
dealt with in
the World
Trade Organisation
(WTO).
BACKGROUND:
ISSUES
Developing
a Common Understanding
of the Information
Society
The original
UN decision for
the summit named
this point as
the highest goal
of the WSIS.
In most of the
drafts for the
WSIS agenda however,
it does not appear
as an independent
theme anymore.
Only the statement
by the Civil
Society Plenary
Coordinating
Group takes it
up as the overarching
theme and links
it with central
questions like:
Which purpose
is the information
society serving?
On which ethical
basis is it founded?
Who profits from
it?
Constructing
a Technical Infrastructure
All actors agree
that the expansion
of the Internet,
of telecommunication
and other communication
infrastructures
is of central
importance. For
the private sector,
this is the main
- sometimes only
- point. Many
governments of
the South hope
to gain from
this, though
some of them
also point to
non-technical
issues like cultural
diversity the
development of
local content.
A number of international
organisations
and civil society
groups instead
insist that the
information society
is not mainly
technologically-determined,
but rather depends
on knowledge,
creativity and
education.
Universal
and Equal Access
All actors agree
- at least in
theory - that
the access to
information and
knowledge has
to be broadened
and that nobody
must be excluded
from the information
society. This
is reflected,
for example,
in the basic
principle "e-inclusion"
in the Bucharest
Declaration of
the Pan-European
regional WSIS
meeting.
Digital
Divide
Governments of
the South, particularly,
see a crucial
challenge for
the WSIS in a
connection of
the two latter
issues with the
goal of equal
living conditions
in the North
and in the South.
They have managed
to strengthen
the developmental
aspect of the
summit process.
Civil society
groups point
at the digital
divide not only
between North
and South, but
as well within
societies between
rich and poor,
young and old,
men and women,
and at barriers
beyond technical
availability,
such as costs,
cultural barriers
or censorship.
Securing
Linguistic and
Cultural Diversity
These issues
had initially
been under-represented.
After successful
interventions
of several governments
(e.g. France),
international
organisations
(UNESCO) and
civil society,
it has now become
a priority for
the summit.
Education
Another issue
that is emphasised
in most statements.
Regrettably,
this does not
always mean the
broadening of
general education,
but is often
reduced to only
qualifying, technology-oriented
training measures.
Intellectual
Property vs.
Global Commons
The private sector,
along with governments
of the North,
wants to secure
and broaden the
rights over intellectual
property. Large
parts of civil
society and some
international
organisations,
along with a
number of states
from the South,
instead seek
to broaden the
global information
commons and establish
information as
a public, non-commercial
good.
Information
Freedoms
Freedom of expression,
data protection,
privacy are supported
by organisations
like UNESCO or
the Council of
Europe, and of
course by civil
society. They
argue for the
right to communicate
without fear
of censorship
and without fear
of surveillance.
The role of these
issues, though,
has become clearly
reduced between
PrepCom1 and
PrepCom2. They
now seem to lose
in the name of
security.
Security
of the Information
Networks
At the Pan-European
conference in
Bucharest (November
2002), the United
States together
with Russia succeeded
in pushing a
paragraph about
the threat to
communication
infrastructures
by criminal and
terrorist activities
into the final
declaration.
This move was
met with scepticism
by some EU countries.
But the security
of critical information
infrastructures
has definitely
become one of
the hot topics
of the summit
process now.
Participation,
E-Democracy,
E-Government,
Communities
Mainly the governments
and organisations
of the North
work for a revival
of democratic
structures and
better citizens'
participation
with the help
of communication
networks. Civil
society groups
put special emphasis
on the role of
communities and
demand support
for community-based
initiatives.
Regulative
Framework for
the Information
Society
While many government
delegations along
with the private
sector understand
this as establishing
and securing
a market-oriented
environment for
investments,
civil society
is demanding
international
regulations on
privacy, media
ownership concentration
and online workers'
rights.
Information
Freedoms
Freedom of expression,
data protection,
privacy are supported
by organisations
like UNESCO or
the Council of
Europe, and of
course by civil
society. They
argue for the
right to communicate
without fear
of censorship
and without fear
of surveillance.
The role of these
issues, though,
has become clearly
reduced between
PrepCom1 and
PrepCom2. They
now seem to lose
in the name of
security.
ACTORS
IN WSIS
As
most of the other
UN world summits
in recent years,
the WSIS is planned
as a "multi-stakeholder
dialogue". This
means that all
actors are invited
that work on
the themes of
information and
communication
and that have
an interest in
shaping the debates
and decisions.
These actors
are mostly divided
into three categories:
governments,
private businesses
and civil society.
In addition to
this, delegates
of international
organisations
and journalists
will be involved
in the summit
process.
Despite
a number of declarations
and statements
claiming a balanced
right for participation,
all important
decisions are
still made by
the government
delegates. Private
business and
civil society
can contribute
to the discussions
by submitting
statements, but
besides this,
they only have
observer status.
The
private sector,
though, managed
to drastically
strengthen its
position at the
first PrepCom:
For the first
time, not only
business associations
can officially
take part in
the summit, but
single companies
as well. This
creates a situation
where companies
are represented
twice, which
is seen by many
as a dangerous
precedent for
further UN summits.
Non-governmental
organisations,
in contrast,
have so far received
little support
in their involvement
in the summit
process. In some
cases, their
activities were
even obstructed
by a lack of
transparency
and communication
on the side of
the summit secretariat.
The
second preparatory
conference -
PrepCom2 - in
February 2003
illustrated the
problems and
difficulties,
but also the
opportunities
of participation
very well. On
the one hand,
many states were
trying to keep
the summit a
'pure' government
conference, and
non-state actors
were temporarily
excluded from
even observing
negotiations.
On the other
hand, towards
the end of the
conference, it
was decided to
add the statements
of civil society
and private sector
to the government
documents and
to thereby give
them official
status for the
first time.
States
The governments
of the South
are very interested
in building up
better connections
to the global
communications
channels. Access
to information
and knowledge
about technical
infrastructures
and their usage
have highest
priority for
them. But they
also emphasise
the necessity
of preserving
cultural diversity
and heritage
and want to support
local content.
The
governments of
the North are
not particularly
interested in
shouldering any
of the costs
related to an
expansion of
communications
infrastructures
in the South.
They prefer themes
like e-government,
citizens' participation,
and creating
an investor-friendly
environment.
Increasingly,
a focus is put
on the security
of communications
and data networks
against criminal
or even terrorist
activities.
Information
on country-wise
preparations
Private
Sector
Large international
business institutions
- like the International
Chamber of Commerce
or the World
Economic Forum
- have created
the Coordinating
Committee of
Business Interlocutors
(CCBI). They
emphasise the
positive role
of information
technology for
development and
economic growth
and ask for a
reduction of
obstacles for
investment, a
market-oriented
environment,
and a reliable
legal framework.
Civil
Society
A number of non-governmental
organisations,
community media,
scientific institutions
and others take
part in the summit
as civil society.
They are organised
in a network
of caucuses that
deal in part
with organisational
questions, but
mostly work on
special themes.
Their focus is
less on the technical
or economic requirements
and more on the
human needs that
should be established
as the foundation
for the information
society. Among
other things,
civil society
groups work for
the recognition
of communication
as a human right,
the global information
commons as a
counterpart for
the commercial
use of information,
freedom of expression,
privacy, a participatory
communications
model, the central
role of local
communities and
support for community-based
initiatives.
PrepCom2:
Participation
of non-governmental
actors as a dividing
line
International
Organisations
Organisations
from the UN context
or from other
backgrounds are
also participating
in the summit
and pipe up the
discussion with
their own detailed
suggestions for
content and themes.
UNESCO as the
UN organisation
responsible for
culture and communication,
has a similar
agenda as civil
society. It emphasises
the themes education,
free speech,
cultural diversity
and strengthening
the public domain.
Additionally,
UNESCO favours
the term "knowledge
society" instead
of a global information
society. Other
organisations,
as the Council
of Europe, focus
on securing civil
liberties, such
as privacy, in
the information
society. More
economically
oriented organisations,
such as the International
Telecommunications
Satellite Organisation,
have more business-friendly
positions and
ask for better
conditions for
investors and
for global technical
standards.
Entities
involved in WSIS
List
of accreditated
entities
List
of entities that
have requested
accreditation
SCHEDULE
In
December 2003,
the first part
of the World
Summit on the
Information Society
will take place
in Geneva. It
is organised
by the International
Telecommunications
Union (ITU),
a body of the
United Nations.
The world summit
is prepared by
three meetings
of the preparatory
committee (so-called
PrepCom 1 to
3) and a series
of regional and
sub-regional
conferences.
Many groups from
civil society
are actively
engaged inside
and outside the
official preparatory
process.
The
preparatory process
started with
the first meeting
of the preparatory
committee (PrepCom1)
in Geneva in
July 2002, which
mainly dealt
with organisational
and process matters.
PrepCom1
From a civil
society perspective,
the outcomes
of PrepCom1 were
less than expected.
The key issue
was that representatives
of civil society
organisations
alongside private
sector entities
are recognised
as 'Observers',
and thereby do
not have equal
access, speaking,
negotiating and/or
voting rights
to the WSIS process
and Summit. This
greatly limits
the participation
of civil society
organisations
in this process
and is bound
to influence
the outcomes.
Regional
meetings
Regional
and thematic
conferences have
been following
PrepCom1. Before
PrepCom2, five
regional preparatory
conferences took
place in each
of the regions
of the world.
The regional
conferences addressed
the specific
concerns, needs
and priorities
of the various
regions .
Africa:
Bamako (Mali),
28-30 May 2002.
Bishkek-Moscow-Conference
for GUS and Turkey
: Bishkek, 9-11
September and
Moscow 23-24
October 2002.
Pan-Europe
(incl. USA/Canada):
Bucharest (Romania),
7-9 November
2002.
Asia-Pacific:
Tokyo (Japan),
13-15 January
2003.
Latin
America & Caribbean:
Bávaro (Dominican
Republic), 29-31
January 2003.
Western
Asia: Beirut
(Lebanon), 4-6
February 2003.
League
of Arab States:
Cairo (Egypt),
June 2003.
PrepCom2
These regional
meetings paved
the way towards
PrepCom2 in February
2003 which developed
rough drafts
of the final
declaration and
the action plan.
The draft declaration
and action plan
were the result
of a compilation
of inputs from
the regional
preparatory meetings
and discussions
that took place
during PrepCom2.
These were finalised
on 21 March 2003
and are referred
to as working
documents,
meaning that
the documents
will serve as
the basis for
further work.
During
PrepCom2, an
Intersessional
period was
proposed, to
be dedicated
to refining the
working documents.
This meeting
is scheduled
to take place
in July 2003
in Paris.
PrepCom3
The third Meeting
of the preparatory
committee, or
PrepCom3, will
take place in
Geneva from 15
to 26 September
2003. It is supposed
to finalise these
documents and
to deal with
the remaining
road blocks towards
the first part
of the summit
shortly thereafter.
WSIS
1
From 10 to 12
December 2003,
the outcomes
of the extensive
preparatory process
will be discussed
at the first
part of the summit
in Geneva. Heads
of state and
government from
all over the
world will adopt
a summit declaration
and an action
plan there. Members
of civil society
organisations
will be involved
as well, but
are also discussing
whether to organise
a counter-summit.
Following
the first part
of the summit,
further PrepComs
in 2004 and 2005
will pave the
way to the second
part of the WSIS.
Concrete dates
for these PrepComs
are not available
yet.
WSIS
2
From 16 to
18 November 2005,
the second part
of the summit
will take place
in Tunis. Heads
of state and
government from
all over the
world will adopt
a revised plan
of action with
more detailed
guidelines, and
they will review
the steps taken
since the first
part of the summit
in Geneva in
2003.
Complete
WSIS timetable
CIVIL
SOCIETY AT WSIS
A great number
of non-governmental
organisations
(NGOs), scientific
institutions,
community media
and others are
participating
as "civil society"
in the preparations
for the summit
as well as the
WSIS itself.
They try to establish
the broadest
possible participation
of civil society
groups at the
summit and to
push civil society
issues onto the
agenda.
At
the same time,
there is plenty
of WSIS-related
discussion outside
the official
conferences.
Workshops on
the themes of
the summit were
held, for instance,
at the World
Social Forum
in Porto Alegre,
and media activists
are thinking
about public
events parallel
to the WSIS.
During
the PrepCom1,
a large number
of civil society
groups participating
in the summit
set up a Civil
Society Coordinating
Group (CSCG).
The CSCG consisted
of sub-committees
and working groups
that dealt with
the details of
civil society
participation
or with single
issue areas.
Furthermore,
the CSCG submitted
their own thematic
and participatory
suggestions
to the preparatory
conferences.
During
PrepCom2 the
Civil
Society Bureau
(CSB) was constituted.
Its objective
is to deal with
issues of civil
society participation
and to operate
on equal footing
with the Government
Bureau. The formation
and functions
of the CSB was
and continues
to be a very
controversial
issue. The main
concerns were
centred around
its operations,
representation
and accountability.
The CSB was 'formally'
constituted at
PrepCom2 and
is now in operation
comprising of
about 25 representatives
of various thematic
groups known
as 'families'.
Thematic contributions
are still being
developed within
the thematic
working groups
and caucuses,
which were enlarged
substantially
during PrepCom2.
The
various statements
and contributions
by those groups
are gathered
by the Drafting
Committee
and compiled
towards a common
civil society
position paper.
Learn
about CSB's working
mechanism
Read
about civil society
and multi-stakeholder
activites at
PrepCom2
Learn
about official
contributions
of the civil
society
OTHER
CIVIL SOCIETY
ACTIVITIES
A growing network
of civil society
groups and organisations
worldwide are
working on the
themes of the
information society
and on the processes
and possible
effects of the
WSIS. A prominent
actor has been
the CRIS
campaign
(Communication
Rights in the
Information Society).
CRIS members
are some of the
most important
communications
NGOs and media
networks - among
others are the
worldwide community
radio network
AMARC,
the Association
for Progressive
Communications
(APC), the news
agency Inter
Press Service,
the Panos
Institute,
and the World
Association for
Christian Communication
(WACC). CRIS
has been furthering
civil society
participation
at the WSIS and
has published
one
of the first
statements
for the thematic
debate of the
WSIS. CRIS is
active outside
the official
WSIS process
as well. For
example, a national
campaign for
communication
rights was started
in Italy in January
2003.
Other important
actors, to name
but a few examples
from a multitude
of groups and
organisations,
have been the
OpenWSIS
initiative
and the Conference
of NGOs in Consultative
Relationship
with the United
Nations (CONGO).
At
the European
Social Forum
in Florence in
November 2002,
the importance
of the WSIS was
emphasised by
a number of groups
and organisations,
especially by
Unimondo of the
OneWorld
Network and
by the alternative
news service
Indymedia.
Here and at the
World Social
Forum in Porto
Alegre two months
later, interested
civil society
groups discussed
the WSIS and
agreed on closer
cooperation.
In Porto Alegre,
the participants
agreed on organising
a counter summit.
CRIS is also
planning an own
event as a side-event
to the December
WSIS summit:
a "World
Forum on Communications
Rights".
ISSUES
FOR CIVIL SOCIETY
Communication
as a Human Right
Large party of
the civil society
participating
in the WSIS process
are demanding
the recognition
of communication
as a human right.
Communication
here is understood
as an interactive
and participatory
process. This
concept clearly
distinguishes
itself from the
mere right to
access to information
and the model
of the info-"one-way
street" that
delivers content
from a few senders
to many receivers
in a second.
Communication
always contains
one's own production
of content and
therefore the
active participation
in the information
society. Not
only a universal,
but also a participatory
access to the
means of information
and communication
has to be established.
Diversity
of Opinions,
Cultures, and
Perspectives
Cultural diversity
is acknowledged
as a fundamental
principle of
the information
society. In civil
society concepts,
different than
in other contexts,
this is understood
not only as the
security of cultural
diversity, but
the active promotion
of cultural development.
A special emphasis
has to be put
on the different
realities and
perspectives
of marginalized
groups, such
as migrants and
indigenous populations,
and on the preservation
of traditional
and indigenous
knowledge.
Global Information
Commons
Information is
seen as a public
good that can
not - or only
in a limited
way - be used
for commercial
exploitation.
Information and
communication
resources are
part of the "global
commons". Securing
and enlarging
the commons and
the public domain
are aims that
stand in stark
contrast to intellectual
property claims
brought forward
by the private
sector and some
governments.
The global commons
are a clear counter
model to economy-based
information concepts.
Open Source
and Free Software
The same is true
for the open
source movement,
that differs
from proprietary
software production.
Free software
and cooperatively
structured technology
development are
among the demands
of many civil
society groups.
The concept of
Open Content
is using free
software as a
model for the
production of
content. Therefore,
it is a practical
example for the
Information Commons.
Local Initiatives,
Local Control
Civil society
models emphasise
the central role
of locally and
interest-based
communities and
want to establish
funding for community-based
initiatives and
community media,
such as local
citizens' radio.
Technologies
have to be developed
according to
the needs of
the local communities.
Barriers
The digital divide
is seen as a
central factor
for unequal living
conditions in
the North and
the South. Overcoming
the divide would
be an important
condition for
fighting poverty.
Civil society
groups, though,
do not only emphasise
the North-South
axis, but as
well the barriers
for accessing
information inside
societies - political
and social and
technical barriers,
education and
gender barriers.
Gender
The treatment
of gender issues
is seen as very
important challenge
for the WSIS.
The claims include
fighting gender-based
discrimination,
helping the participation
of women in the
information society
and reducing
gender hierarchies
and stereotypes.
Privacy,
Data Protection
Civil
society concepts
call for enhancing
data protection
and saving privacy.
This is a critical
issue, because
even under the
conditions of
an information
society, you
have to keep
"the right to
be left alone",
as privacy was
defined more
than a hundred
years ago. This
aims against
all kinds of
surveillance
by states as
well as exploiting
and selling consumer
data by companies.
Media Ownership
and Regulation
Some civil society
actors point
at the problem
of media ownership
concentration
and demand the
democratisation
of the media.
Workers'
Rights and Working
Conditions
Parts of civil
society point
at the unclear
legal status
of many communication
and information
workers. They
fight for establishing
workers' rights,
which is especially
important in
a dynamic and
global market
for communication
and information
services and
goods.
Communication
and Knowledge
Society
Finally, some
civil society
actors reach
back to the original
idea for the
UN declaration
at the WSIS.
According to
this, the world
summit would
be mainly a forum
for seeking a
common understanding
of the information
society. They
ask central questions
- What purpose
does it have?
Whose needs should
it serve? - and
emphasise building
the information
society on the
basic pillars
of social justice,
democracy, and
participation.
Civil society
groups are sceptical
of the concept
of an information
society. Instead,
they speak of
a multitude of
different societies.
As the leading
concepts, they
speak of a communication
society or a
knowledge society.
Further
readings from
CRIS:
Is
the Information
Society a useful
concept for Civil
Society?
E-waste:
problems, possibilities,
and the need
for civil society
engagement
What
is the special
significance
of community
media to civil
society?
Why
should intellectual
property rights
matter to civil
society?
The
corporate sector
and information
control
Media
ownership: Big
Deal?
Communities:
The Hidden Dimension
of ICTs
The
Right to Communicate:
Women in the
Information Society
Contesting
the Spectrum
Allocation Giveaway
PROCEDURES
FOR CIVIL SOCIETY'S
PARTICIPATION
Accreditation
is compulsory
for participating
physically in
the WSIS process,
both at PrepCom
meetings and
in the Summit
events themselves
in Geneva in
December 2003.
Find
out about the
civil society
accreditation
process
RELATED
LINKS
Official
WSIS
Site of International
Telecommunications
Union (ITU)
WSIS
Site of UNESCO
Time-Plan
of the WSIS process
PrepCom1
PrepCom2
Regional
Preparatory Conferences
Africa
Pan-Europe
Asia
Latin
America &
Caribbean
West
Asia
Arab
League
Sub-Regional
Conferences
Civil Society
Summit
Secretariat,
Civil Society
Platform
WSIS-CS.org:
Civil Society
Plenary Meeting
Point
Civil
Society Plenary
Coordinating
Group: Sub-Committees,
Caucuses and
Working Groups
(PDF)
WSIS
Civil Society
/ Content & Themes
group Drafting
Portal
WSIS
PrepCom2 Civil
Society Working
Groups
PrepCom1
/ Civil Society
- Documents
PrepCom2
/ Civil Society
- Documents
PrepCom.Net
- Online Bulletin
of NGO Activities
at PrepCom2
Communication
Rights in the
Information Society
(CRIS)
Geneva03.org:
Protest Activities
for G8 Summit
and WSIS in Geneva
WSIS
site of Computer
Professionals
for Peace and
Social Responsibility
(CPSR)
Association
for Progressive
Communications
(APC) Internet
Rights Campaign
OneWorld
Netherland's
forum on WSIS
(closed)
Mandate
The Future: Online
Forum on WSIS
World
Civil Society
Forum (WCSF)
Information Society
Working Group
ISIS
on WSIS
Environment
and ICT Working
Group
WSIS
Asia Information
and Outreach
Working Group
What
Society IS
TakingITGlobal:
Events - WSIS
Intellectual
Property Rights
Working Group
WSIS
Gender Caucus
WSIS
NGO Gender Strategies
Working Group
Communities
Online
International
Conference Volunteers:
WSIS
Email listservs
Civil
Society Plenary
List
PrepCom
Coordination
List WSIS-PrepCom1
(also for PrepCom2+3)
Civil
Society Participation
List
List
of the German
WSIS Civil Society
Coordinating
Group
CRIS
WSIS Info List
CRIS
Chat List
Alternative
Summit List alt.WSIS
Alternative
Summit / Media
Activists Prep-l
List (internal)
Digital
Opportunity Channel
forum on Information
Society
Education
and Academia
Caucus List
Civil
Society ad hoc
Finance Committee
Human
Rights Caucus
List
Youth
Caucus List
This
backgrounder
has been compiled
with information
and content taken
primarily from
the Websites
of the International
Telecommunications
Union (ITU),
Heinrich
Böll Foundation,
Communication
Rights in the
Information Society
(CRIS) campaign,
Association
for Progressive
Communications
(APC) and
the
Civil Society
Bureau.
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