CRIS proposal of "Communications Rights Summit"

[Meryem Marzouki <marzouki@ras.eu.org>]

A lot of news and info to share today...
Here is a concept paper written by Sean O Siochru (of CRIS Campaign) 
regarding the organization of a "Communication Rights Summit".
This idea has been elaborated during a open meeting organized by CRIS 
last Sunday in Geneva, where I haven't been able to participate.
I've had personal discussion with Sean about this proposal, and there 
has also been a discussion in a small meeting of the "social movement" 
group (an name which has now been changed into "networks and coalitions" 
group, which is more correct).

Though it seems that the CRIS campaign doesn't want anymore to push 
their original "right to communicate" identity, taking into account a 
number of criticisms and some strategical objectives, some of my 
personal concerns remain :
- Fragmentation of the Human Rights reference framework with the 
"communications rights" concept, and restriction to a limited view of 
"the human rights relating to information and communication", while some 
rights, which at first glance don't seem to relate to the Summit theme, 
do need to be reaffirmed and reinforced
- Dilution of the Human Rights into a vague and minimal consensus 
elaborated with governments and intergovernmental organisations, and 
private sector
- Legitimation of the WSIS process and outcome by holding a summit 
WITHIN the WSIS framework (risk of being an "alibi")

However, the initiative is not bad in itself. And while members of the 
human rights caucus has discussed in Geneva the possibility of 
organizing some event, it wouldn't be appropriate to duplicate efforts, 
at least at the same period of time.

What do you think ?
Meryem

========
Communications Rights Summit
Concept Paper

This describes a proposal to hold a one-day Communications Rights 
Summit, alongside the World Summit on the Information Society in 
December 2003.  The initiative is being launched by the CRIS campaign 
(Communication Rights in the Information Society: www.crisinfo.org) in 
collabo-ration with other civil society networks and organisations, and 
is actively building a broader partnership.

The Rationale:
The focus of the conference is specific: In the context of human rights 
in general, it focuses on information and communication rights issues 
that surround the emergence of an information society.

The WSIS itself is constrained in the manner and depth to which these 
issues can be addressed. Many of them are debated and acted upon in 
other international organisations and entities. Yet it is essential that 
all be considered as a coherent, and interrelated, set of concerns. 
Indeed, in all likelihood they will determine which kind of information 
society emerges, and how the benefits will be realised and distributed.

The Summit and associated events offers a forum to explore these, and 
consider options for addressing them.

Goals:
Its goals are:

• To debate, explore and define the many dimensions of information and 
communication rights that must underpin any information society if it is 
to enrich the lives of all people.
• To formulate a succinct statement that:
o notes existing human rights relating to information and communication;
o sets down that the conditions and environment necessary for these to 
be exercised, in practice, by people;
o Explores the obstacles to achieving such an environment, and 
identifies the priority areas for action and intervention.
• To engage widespread participation in a set of voluntary and 
collaborative actions to implement these rights in a manner that is 
meaningful to people in their everyday lives, and to define what follow 
up to this first Summit would be appropriate.

Participation:
The Summit is an open event welcoming those in civil society, 
governments and intergovernmental organisations, and private sector, who 
recognise the need to address these issues in the context of the 
information society and wish to work together to achieve the goals.

Modalities:
The event, with a duration of one day, will take place alongside the 
first WSIS Summit in December 2003. It will be the culmination of a 
series of workshops, thematic debates, drafting activities, online 
events and so forth, designed to ensure a thorough debate on the 
issues.  The process will take advantage both of events surrounding the 
WSIS Summit itself, and of other events including the WSIS PrepCom 3, 
international gatherings, including those of civil society. It will be 
supported be publications, and electronic fora.

The Communications Rights Summit is thus grounded not only within the 
WSIS process but also within ongoing civil society processes and 
discourse.

For information contact Seán Ó Siochrú sean@nexus.ie;  Myriam Horngren:  
mh@wacc.org.uk