[Advisors] FW: [bestbits] RE: Post WCIT Civil Society statement - a way forward

[michael gurstein]

-----Original Message-----
From: bestbits-request@lists.igcaucus.org =
[mailto:bestbits-request@lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of Andrew =
Puddephatt
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 2:11 AM
To: bestbits@lists.igcaucus.org
Subject: [bestbits] RE: Post WCIT statement - a way forward

Post-WCIT civil society statement: A way forward December 14, 2012

At the World Conference on International Telecommunication (WCIT) =
conference in Dubai, ITU member states tried to negotiate new =
International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs). We as civil society =
organizations want to express our concern at the lack of transparency, =
openness, and public consultations that marked the national preparatory =
processes and the WCIT discussion in Dubai, despite some efforts to open =
the process to civil society. =20

Mindful of the upcoming review of the World Summit on the Information =
Society process we call upon states to recognize the importance of =
upholding human rights in all spheres, including the Internet

We further call upon governments to recognize the importance of ensuring =
meaningful and sustainable civil society participation in all internet =
governance and policy-making processes which should be both transparent =
and accountable.

=E2=80=93	We urge governments to promote universal, affordable, high =
quality and equitable access to the internet=20

=E2=80=93	Recognizing the necessity of net neutrality for protection of =
human rights and for innovation we call for the promotion of network =
equality so that access is free from discrimination, filtering or =
control on commercial, political or other grounds.=20

=E2=80=93	Noting that the internet is a medium for both public and =
private exchange of views and information across boundaries, we call on =
governments and non-state actors to respect and protect freedom of =
expression online.

=E2=80=93	Taking into account that privacy is a fundamental human right, =
we urge the governments and service providers to take all legal, =
procedural and technical steps necessary to guarantee the right to =
protection of personal data, including traffic and indirectly =
identifiable data; the right to secure private communications, including =
the right to online anonymity and pseudonimity; and the right to be free =
from unwarranted surveillance and all forms of eavesdropping

=E2=80=93	Realizing that the cultural and linguistic diversity should be =
protected as legitimate speech, but also as common cultural heritage =
that enriches humankind as a whole, exhort governments and service =
providers to foster and promote the expressions of such diversity =
without constraints based on cultural, religious or gender bias.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----------------------------------
Endorsed by:
=E2=80=A2	Funda=C3=A7=C3=A3o Getulio Vargas, Brazil
=E2=80=A2	Nupef, Brazil
=E2=80=A2	Intervozes, Brazil
=E2=80=A2	Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor, Brazil
=E2=80=A2	Asociacion por los Derechos Civiles, Argentina
=E2=80=A2	Center for Studies on Freedom of Expression and Access to =
Information (CELE), University of Palermo, Argentina
=E2=80=A2	Via Libre Foundation, Argentina
=E2=80=A2	Centro de Estudios Legales Y Sociales, Argentina
=E2=80=A2	ONG Derechos Digitales, Chile
=E2=80=A2	Colnodo, Colombia
=E2=80=A2	Fundaci=C3=B3n para la Libertad de Prensa, Colombia
=E2=80=A2	Fundaci=C3=B3n Karisma, Colombia
=E2=80=A2	Association for Progressive Communications, Global
=E2=80=A2	Cooperativa Sul=C3=A1 Bats=C3=BA, Costa Rica
=E2=80=A2	Fundaci=C3=B3n Social TIC, Mexico
=E2=80=A2	Creative Commons Guatemala, Guatemala
=E2=80=A2	Global Partners & Associates, U.K.
=E2=80=A2	Open Society Foundation, Global
=E2=80=A2	KICTANet, Kenya=20
=E2=80=A2	Consumers International, Global
=E2=80=A2	Center for Democracy and Technology, U.S.A.
=E2=80=A2	Internet Democracy Project, India
=E2=80=A2	CELS, Argentina
=E2=80=A2	IT for Change, India
=E2=80=A2	Open Technology Institute  USA

Andrew Puddephatt, Director
Global Partners & Associates

Direct: +44 (0)20 7549 0336
Office: +44 (0)20 7549 0350
Mobile: +44 (0)771 339 9597
Email: andrew@global-partners.co.uk
Address: Development House, 56-64 Leonard St, London EC2A 4LT, UK

www.global-partners.co.uk=20