The WSIS Preparatory conference opened yesterday in Geneva. Its first task is to define the rules and procedures for the entire WSIS process. After a briefing session by the conference organizers, members of civil society are concerned that the current process will close the door on true and transparent participation in the Summit.

This contradicts the stated aims of the WSIS, to build a “common vision and understanding of the Information society.” This will only be achieved if civil society is fully involved in the negotiations and deliberations of the WSIS.

Communication Rights in the Information Society campaign (CRIS) and associated civil society organizations have therefore issued a communiqué calling on the Preparatory Committee to adopt rules and procedures to ensure that Civil Society has full and meaningful access to deliberations and negotiations throughout the World Summit process


COMMUNIQUÉ

To the President of the Preparatory Committee
World Summit on the Information Society

>From the Campaign on
Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS)

Geneva, 1 July 2002



CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN WSIS

We, as a coalition of civic sector organisations, are deeply concerned that at
the opening of proceedings of the first Preparatory Conference for the World
Summit on the Information Society there is not a clear commitment to full and
meaningful NGO participation throughout the WSIS preparatory process and summit
meetings.

The WSIS aims to build a "common vision and understanding of the Information
society". This will only be achieved if civil society is fully involved in the
negotiations and the deliberations of the WSIS including its Preparatory
Committee stages through an open and transparent process providing full access
to proceedings.

The UN Secretary General has called for civil society to be a key player in a
renewed international partnership. This should build on practice and procedure
for inclusion of non-governmental organisations established since the
foundation of the UN system.

The Declaration of the African Regional Conference for WSIS (Bamako, 28-30 May
2002) called for "full and effective involvement of civil society" in the WSIS
process.

The European Union (19 June 2002) has stressed "the preparatory process is very
important and representation from all interested parties should be sought in
order to give a clear signal of all-inclusiveness".

UNESCO (June 2002) in their contribution to the first meeting of the
Preparatory Conmmittee has stated that "?civil society actors should, in
substantive agenda development, debate and drafting modalities, be treated as
peers and equals"

For the effective and continuing involvement of civil society the Preparatory
Committee must adopt Rules and Procedures for its own activities and for the
World Summit itself which are designed to guarantee and support civil society
participation at all levels including plenary sessions, sub-committees and
working groups.

The Rules and Procedures should ensure NGOs have full and meaningful access to
deliberations and negotiations of the Preparatory Committee and the World
Summit.

As a minimum we call on the Preparatory Committee:

1. To support Option B on rule 55 of the draft Rules of Procedure of the
Preparatory Committee of the WSIS.

2. To support Option B on rule 61 of the draft Rules of Procedure for the World
Summit on the Information Society.
3. To establish a Working Group of Sub Committee 1 (Rules and Procedures) to
address issues concerning civic sector participation in the WSIS and to fully
involve NGOs in its discussion and formulation of appropriate measures.

We believe interaction between Governments and civil society organisations
should be formally and explicitly assured throughout the WSIS process including
civil society participation in the Bureau (provided for but not guaranteed by
rule 9) and full access to participation in the Sub-Committees of the
Preparatory Committee (rule 44).

We are seeking a clear and immediate commitment from the Preparatory Committee
to the full participation of civil society from the commencement of the WSIS
process.

We also seek clarification on the inclusion of individual private sector firms
when private sector representation is already assured through appropriate
associations.

We undertake to prepare and to submit a more detailed issues paper for
Sub-Committee 1 for the Working Group on civil society participation in the
World Summit.



The CRIS Campaign is endorsed by:

African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNET), Agencia Latino
Americana de Información (ALAI), Asociación Latinoamericana de Educación
Radiofónica (ALER), Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Cameco,
Centre of Community Networking and Information Policy Studies (CCNS), European
Communication Research Consortium (ECCR), Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst
(EED), Global Community Networking (GCN), International Women?s Tribune
Centre, InterPress Service (IPS), Les Penelopes, MediaChannel, Nexus, Panos
Institute, People?s Communication Charter, Rede de Informações para o Terceiro
Setor (RITS), VECAM, World Association for Christian Communications (WACC),
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), World Council of
Churches (WCC)

This communique is also endorsed by the following organisations:

InterNews, Computer Professionals For Social Responsibility (CPSR), Associacion
Latinoamericana de Educacion Audiofonica, Laneta (Mexico), Communities Online
(UK), Foundation for Media Alternatives (Phililppines), IRIS - Imaginons un
Reseau Internet Solidaire (France), Pain Pour le Prochain (Switzerland), MISA -
Media Institute of Southern Africa, Telecommunities Canada, CREIS -
Coordination de recherche et d'enseignement sur l?informatique et société,
African Centre for Women and ICTs/Horn of Africa Region Women's Knowledge
Network (HAWKNET), Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Contact the CRIS Campaign during WSIS Prepcom 1
CICG Box Number 59
Telephone: +41 (0) 79 470 1664
Email:  prepcom@crisinfo.org,
List:  wsis-prep1@lists.cpsr.org,
Press:  rguerra@cpsr.org