WSIS Civil Society Press Conference
Palais des Nations, February 16, 2005, Salle de Presse no. 3 at 16.00
Draft intervention by Rikke Frank Joergensen on behalf of the Human Rights Caucus
"WSIS, Human Rights and Social Justice"
(Voir aussi la version française)

HR Caucus: 55 members, focus on both CPR and ESCR.

HR and social justice the main issue for CS during first phase
- a long struggle
- link btw HR and development

Main concerns at this stage:

1. Formal commitment v. effective implementation, HR education etc.
Political chapeau and operational part
- not only about reference to UDHR in first para.
- overly focused on infrastructure, technical aspects
- enabling.. for whom?

2. Lack of concrete measures
- HR standards should be the benchmarks by which we measure progress and by which we review state legislation and policies
- i.e. media pluralism, economic and social development, access to health and education, freedom of assembly, freedom from censorship and surveaillance.

3. WGIG issue papers (consumer privacy, cybercrime, unlawfull content etc)
- many HR misconceptions
- need to ensure that HR and the rule of law are the main benchmarks in evaluating IG mechanisms

4. Accreditation
- there a recognized NGOs such as HRIC that are still denied accreditation due to lack of formal recognition from the Chinese government

5. Concerns with regard to the WSIS host country: Two missions have taken place. One of them will be reported tomorrow at a meeting arranged by the HR Caucus, 3 issues: General HR concern at this stage, HR in china, report from mission to Tunisia organized by FIDH.