Re: [hr-wsis] Draft HR caucus document

["Bill McIver, University at Albany" <mciver@albany.edu>]

Meryem / All,

My input is here:
http://mboom.draper.albany.edu/~mciver/WSIS/WJM-WSIS-IS2-Input-053003.doc

I tried to post the document directly to the list, but it
was blocked.


Forgive the rough nature of the document.
It was rushed.


Thanks,

WJM

Meryem Marzouki wrote:

> Hi again
>
> Here is a draft document that Rikke and myself propose as a start. It 
> should be commented and modified, and augmented with other rights 
> translation in the infso context.
>
> Please note that there could be a problem with the "right to 
> communication", since there is no such right in the existing 
> conventions, and one can feel that it is alredy covered by freedom of 
> expression. However, it could be argued that the right to 
> communication has any different implications from freedom of 
> expression since it deals with issues such as infrastructure and their 
> governance, means of producing the information, etc. Thus, while not 
> "competing" with freedom of expression, it goes beyond in terms of 
> guarantees.
>
> In any case, we're waiting for your comments and inputs on all these 
> issues.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Meryem Marzouki (IRIS - Imaginons un réseau Internet solidaire), and
> Rikke Frank Joergensen (The Danish Institute for Human Rights),
> HR Caucus coordinators.
>
> ===========================
> Towards an Information Society respecting civil and political rights 
> of citizens, as well as their economic, social and cultural rights
>
> Input document from the "Human Rights in the Information Society" Caucus
>
> 1/ General introduction
> =======================
>
> The development of the information society has to build on a core set 
> of principles which are fundamental for democratic societies. 
> International human rights standards represent such principles and 
> should serve as the international framework guiding regional and 
> national policies and actions.
>
> A human rights approach would imply:
>
> - Reference to the international covenant on civil and political 
> rights, as well as the international covenant on economic, social and 
> cultural rights, in the WSIS Declaration.
>
> - Underlining the importance of HR standards as the core set of 
> principles guiding the development of the information society.
>
> - Taking human dignity and human needs as the starting point of 
> reference rather than technological considerations.
>
> - Using the improvement of human rights standards such as human and 
> social development, democrary and participation as focus points for 
> setting goals and measures for progress.
>
> - Ensuring basic human rights principles such as equality and 
> anti-discrimination on all levels of policy and action plans. This 
> implies stressing access, empowerment and integrity not least for 
> vulnerable and marginalized groups.
>
> - Recognizing that respect for, and strengthening of, the right to 
> freedom of expression and access to information is crucial for 
> creating a democratic information society.
>
> - Stressing the right to education as essential for the eradication of 
> poverty and for strengthening local capacity.
>
> - Recognizing that security measures should always be balanced with 
> the individuals right to privacy.
>
> - Stressing a commitment to build better democracy based on a higher 
> degree of transparency, enhanced participation and good governance at 
> national, regional and global level.
>
> - Promoting the development of an enabling environment where national 
> ICT policy and legislation are implemented with due respect for human 
> rights principles
>
> To this end, the civil society organizations members of the Human 
> Rights in the Information Society Caucus recommend that international 
> human rights should be precisely translated within the specific 
> framework of information and communication, into precise guarantees as 
> follows:
>
> - Right to education and knowledge :
>
>     * Everyone must be able to acquire basic information and 
> electronic education, in order to be able to master social 
> transformations in all their practical and civic aspects;
>     * The respect of intellectual property should not prevail on the 
> right to education and knowledge. This right must indeed be exercized 
> through the concept of fair use, i.e. use for non-commercial purposes, 
> education, and research;
>     * Intellectual work and ideas, including programming methods and 
> algorithms, should not be patentable. The production and use of free 
> and open software and content must thus be encouraged and covered by 
> public policy;
>     * Access to public data without charge is a necessary condition so 
> that everyone has the means to exercize his citizenship;
>     * Access to infrastructure under acceptable economic conditions 
> must be guaranteed, by supporting the possibility of being a provider 
> as well as a consumer of information. This guarantee implies the 
> negotiation of agreements for the contractual connections between the 
> areas of the world and the States of these areas, whose cost must 
> equitably be shared. This also implies the existence and the perennity 
> of local telecommunication operators.
>
> - Freedom of expression:
>
> - Freedom of communication:
>
> - Freedom of information:
>
> - Right to privacy and personal data protection:
>
> - Right to human dignity:
>
> - Right to education and knowledge:
>
> - Right to decent working conditions:
>
> - ...
>
>
> -- 
> Putting the "Human Rights in the Information Society" issue on the 
> WSIS Agenda
> Working list of NGOs
> To post a message to the list, send an email to: hr-wsis@iris.sgdg.org
> To subscribe/unsubscribe, send an email to: Meryem.Marzouki@iris.sgdg.org
>


-- 

Bill McIver
Assistant Professor
School of Information Science and Policy
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, New York 12222
USA

e-mail: mciver@albany.edu <mailto:mciver@albany.edu>
URL: http://www.albany.edu/~mciver <http://www.albany.edu/%7Emciver>