[hr-wsis] HR Caucus nomination to IPG-MAG

[Cedric Laurant <chlaurant@epic.org>]

Title: [hr-wsis] HR Caucus nomination to IPG-MAG

Dear colleagues,

Like Robin Gross, I have also nominated myself for consideration by the WSIS-Internet Governance Caucus as a candidate to the IGF-MAG.

I would gladly welcome an endorsement from the WSIS Human Rights Caucus if appropriate.

Thank you for your consideration.

- Name: Cédric Laurant

- Name of nominator: Cédric Laurant (self-nomination)

- Nationality: Belgian

- Country of residence: United States

- Gender: Male

- Short Bio relevant to IG:

Cédric Laurant is an attorney and international privacy policy expert in Washington, District of Columbia, United States.  He is the Director of the International Privacy Project, and Policy Counel since 2001, with the Electronic Privacy Information Center.  EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. that was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, freedom of _expression_ and constitutional values.  EPIC pursues a wide range of activities, including policy research, public education, conferences, litigation, publications, and advocacy.  Cédric has advised policy makers on international privacy issues and comparative policy and legal aspects of privacy regimes in Europe, the United States and Canada, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.  He has testified before the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament.  He is actively participating to the negotiation of the APEC Privacy Framework and its implementation scheme.  He is the main editor of "Privacy and Human Rights" 2003, 2004 and 2005, EPIC's comprehensive international survey of privacy laws and developments in the world.

Cédric has organized coalitions with several NGO's around the world on issues of global significance for the right to privacy.  He coordinated EPIC's advocacy actions within three international coalitions of consumer privacy and human rights advocates around the world (the WSIS Civil Society Human Rights Caucus, the Global Internet Liberties Campaign and the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue).  He also organized conferences on consumer protection and emerging international privacy issues in Europe, Latin America and Africa.  He is a member of the Asia-Pacific Privacy Charter Council and the International Working Group on Data Protection in Telecommunications.  Through EPIC, he is active within several organizations, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Cédric recently chaired a parallel event at the Tunis Summit in November 2005 to discuss the importance of the right to privacy in the development of the Information Society. He also spoke at the September 2003 WSIS PrepCom meeting in Geneva to launch EPIC's annual survey "Privacy and Human Rights."  He has made several presentations on the implications for privacy of the WSIS and post-WSIS negotiations.

Cédric holds a licence en droit (law degree) from the University of Louvain (Belgium), a Master of Laws from Columbia University School of Law (New York, US), a European Master of Arts in Science, Technology and Society (London), and a Diploma in Print and Broadcast Journalism (Brussels).  He is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and is a member of the D.C. Bar.  Cédric is a native French speaker, fluent in English and Spanish, and proficient in Dutch and Portuguese. 

- Why the (self)nominee is a good choice for the MAG

As an active member of the WSIS Civil Society Human Rights Caucus since 2002, and willing to serve on the MAG, Cédric Laurant will be able to help the IGF put into practice, in the information society context, the interrelation and interdependence of all human rights, especially the right to privacy.  Cédric Laurant has been working to protect privacy at an international level since 1999 and has developed a thorough understanding of the key policy and legal privacy issues in the online world and especially at an international level.  He has been an active participant of both phases of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) and is a participant of the WSIS Human Rights Caucus.  His experience as a civil society observer at several international fora where privacy and other human rights topics have been discussed, and his legal background in both European civil law and US common law, make him a particularly good candidate to help deal with privacy and civil liberties issues in the context of WSIS and in line with the WSIS Civil Society Human Rights caucus recommendations.

Willingness to serve on MAG: Confirmed

--

Cedric Laurant, Policy Counsel

Director, International Privacy Project

Electronic Privacy Information Center

1718 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 200

Washington, DC 20009  -  U.S.A.

Tel: +1 (202) 483-1140 (x114)

Fax: +1 (202) 483-1248

<chlaurant@epic.org>

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