Suggested Amendments to the Political Chapeau and Chapter One of the Operational Part – provisional input made by the following civil society organizations: CRIS, APC, ITeM, Bread for All, Digital Divide Data and IT for Change

 

 

Chapter one – From principles to action

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After 6 e, insert a separate point

 

Promoting public investments for ICT R&D, access provision, capacity building, local and relevant content as well as in specific ICTD projects that focus on specific development outcomes at the community the level.

Public finance will have to play an important role of the commitments under Geneva POA are to be achieved.

6d

Add " promoting community-owned and -driven networks" along with "promoting community volunteerism"

  

8. Partnerships

Elaborating the concept of MSPs, PPPs are mentioned but not the civil society. As this is the specific para on partnership – all stakeholder, governments, civil society, private sector and multilateral organizations need to be mentioned.

This language is from point B of the Geneva declaration. Definition of MSP frameworks basically in terms of PPP, without explicit reference to `civil society partnership can be interpreted restrictedly as only including private sector.

9. stocktaking

 

 

After, "… assess the effectiveness of investments and international cooperation efforts in building the Information Society", add … "and identify gaps and deficits in investment and devise strategies to address them"

There is little point in monitoring and assessing without having in place a plan for corrective action, if needed.

10

Instead of ,… "to assure the sustainability of the WSIS process " …. "to ensure sustained follow- up on the WSIS process, and implementation of the outcomes"…..

Sustainability of WSIS process is not the point

10

Instead of , "……a team of stakeholders…." Put …. "a multi-stakeholder team….."

Unless the specific reference is made, civil society representation can get crowded out.

10

Remove the last part…."..within their existing resources.".

This phrase is un-necessarily restrictive New institutional forms may be needed to implement WSIS outcomes

10

Add that "we also encourage setting up of such multi-stakeholder partnerships" at national, sub-national and local levels for achieving WSIS goals.

Such partnerships have been recommended in para C1 8b) of Geneva POA

10 and 11

Expression "coordinator" is preferable to "moderator".

 

 

 

Political Chapeau

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After para 11, the part on resource mobilization which is completely un-written

The central role of public policy – both for guiding private investment, and making specific public investments – must be emphasized as the main framework in which resource mobilization can take place for achieving the commitments stated earlier in the political chapeau and Geneva documents.

While encouraging the role of private investment in meeting the goals of ICD, the limits of the market in reaching these goals must be recognised.

Public resources need to be mobilised at local, national and international levels.

The global public goods approach should provide the rationale for exploring and creating new financing mechanisms for achieving these commitments.

This paragraph is important as the manner in which resource mobilization takes place will determine whether and how the implementation of WSIS outcomes will happen.