[IRP] IRP Conference Call minutes

[Lisa Horner]

Hi all

Thanks to everyone who made it to the meeting yesterday - it was a productive discussion I think.  I'm looking forward to working with everyone in the run up to the IGF so that we can make it the best Forum yet!

Thanks to Robert for taking comprehensive notes for the meeting (below).  Let us know if you want to make any amendments or have any questions.

All the best,
Lisa

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IRP Meeting 7/21

IRP Meeting Agenda:

I. Update on the Charter and next steps

II. IRP Dynamic coalition meeting at the IGF

       A. Possible pre-IGF meeting on human rights

       B. Strategy for human rights at the IGF

III. Introduction from Henrik and update on APC rights monitor project

IV. Anything else? Please add your agenda items.

[Robert taking minutes (apologies for gaps)]


IRP Minutes:
[Attending: Shaila Mistry, Lauren Movius, Lisa Horner, Rafik Dammak, Lisa Horner, Henrik Almstrong, Olivier Crepin LeBlond, Robert Bodle, Anja Kovacs, Katitza Rodriguez, Marianne Franklin (listening, sending pointed emails!) ]

Lisa opens to call attention to two main things we need to discuss: 1) Charter, 2) IGF

1. UPDATE ON CHARTER: NEXT STEPS

apologies for the delay - difficulty with voluntary work, problems fitting work in collaboratively in different countries. Nearly have final version of section 1.

Section 1 - Wolfgang worked on applying and lifting standards specific to context of internet

Lisa is editing version 1 at the moment for language - by end of next week.

Section 2 - not much progress (split into tables, stratification layers of communication environment).

We will go ahead and publish Section 1, possibly also with what we have for Section2 with caveat that we're still working on it.

Questions:
Are we happy with process?
How we want to achieve agreement?
How to make changes in time for IGF?
What to do with Charter and beyond?

Version 1.0 is a rolling document that we will consult on to get a wide range of input from different people and groups.

Questions asked by coalition members:

Section 1 of Charter - will we have opportunity to comment?
Section 2 - what is needed? More people involved? To move along a little more?

Answer: Is three weeks is enough for coalition members to comment if they receive the Charter by 1st August (23rd of August)? (before Council of Europe consultation 7th of Sept) with time to print copies.
Should we have a conf call? Email? To make it fair and collaborative.

Answer Re Section 2
Privacy and due process and freedom of expression sections have been drafted but there are still other bundles of rights to draft e.g. development and access to knowledge.

DC member comments:
August 23rd sounds good
Combination of email exchange of comments and conf call for comments.  For Section 2 it would be a good idea for some of us to get together to work on it, but some can't start until 13th of august.

Suggest submitting comments to experts by email, and then having a Conference call to have experts explain choices they made.
RE Section 2: We could see if there is space for people to form small working groups around topics, possibly as part of the proposed pre-IGF human rights event.

Schedule tight given that this is during a holiday season for many people.

Conclusion:
- Charter will be sent round by the end of the month.
- Coalition members will submit comments before the 23rd August, and we'll have a con call around that time.
- We will re-post the location of Google Docs spreadsheet for Section 2, so that people can work on it and re-solicit participation.
- If situation arise where there are strong differences in opinion, Lisa volunteers to play a mediation role.
-People should let Lisa know if they are going to be away in August, but would still like to comment on the Charter.  We will try and find a way to make sure everyone can input.

II. IRP Dynamic coalition meeting at the IGF

A. Proposed HR pre-event the day before IGF (13th Sept) (unfortunately, unavoidable GIGANET clash)

Threefold opportunities:
1)exchange - UN Special Rapporteur for freedom of opinion and expression Frank La Rue will be at IGF - his May 2011 report to the Human Rights Council will be on the internet we will invite him to the event and give him an opportunity to update us.
[Explanation: Special Rapporteurs are watchdogs on their thematic area - to report back to the Human Rights Council highlighting what's gone on that year - (last year the theme was diversity, this year it is the Internet)]
2)Present IG issues from people new to IGF forum - to explore what they need from HR perspective - bring new voices, faces into IGF community.
3)DC IGF coalition and beyond - business planning to strategise see where we are at.  We could also work on section 2 of the Charter more in a face to face context.

A civil society group is currently exploring whether this will be possible, and will feed back on progress.

B. IRP at IGF what do we want to do?

DC IRP given a slot for Workshop.  We can use it to present the charter.  See IGF website for agenda.  We're on the first day at 11:30AM -1:30PM on 14th of Sept.(fresh in right frame of mind)
A) What to do with charter
B) What to do in our meeting
Workshop space

Comments and suggestions:
Can we get Frank involved with the Charter - maybe act as a speaker to draw people in.

Format - we could:
1)have a healthy discussion of the charter for first hour
2)second hour have a working session to work on the charter in small groups.
We could gather people together around bundles of rights.

We'll have Real time remote participation (need a moderator to volunteer)

Need to have a creative and more formal Pre-launch Launch of Charter
Perhaps an evening Happy Hour/Press Conference (with a Banner)
Evening reception would need funds, but holding within workshop would take time away form work on Section 2 of Charter.
Workshop should be for working consultation session, so would Prefer evening reception - if we can pull it off.
We could have a more informal meeting with an assigned place and time to meet - to have a conversation we are looking for.
We still need to organize a get together. Anja won't be able to come to the meeting due to a scheduling conflict.
Should bring a multimedia approach using color, sound, and content to promote the Charter.


B. Strategy for human rights at the IGF

We discussed concerns heard by some coalition members from other people about advocacy for human rights at the IGF being contentious and threatening the continuation of the forum. Some governments may use that as an excuse/may be encouraged to vote against the continuation of the forum in its current format at the UN general assembly meeting in September, effectively closing down spaces for civil society participation and opening the door for more top down control of the internet.

Discussion:
As the IGF is a multi-Stakeholder space we should be careful how we frame things.  We should try to be specific and practical about issues e.g. like the approach taken in 2nd Section of charter.
Dilemma, will IGF continue? Otherwise we will have problems
Consultation process went a different way - because decision will be announced at IGF?
Vote on continuation will be taken a week after the IGF in UN General Assembly
How we should be conducting ourselves. Positioning ourselves strategically?
Unclear if it will continue - 3 years instead of 5 years. Not sure to what extent we need to be concerned - but always balance our approach - focus on some rights over others (freedom of expression, privacy, due process) - Frank was very thoughful, clear, polite, balanced.
Problem is much bigger - ITU wants more binding treaties and decision making power - outside of our work on the HR front.
This has a direct influence on how we frame our Charter process - if we are being careful in the first place we might not go to IGF. Maybe break topic into bite-size issues, harder to object to and deal more objectively. Outline rights of different stakeholders.
IGF USA - bigger tension - accepting HR angle. Control and decision making. HR agenda is smaller agenda within the bigger internet Governance agenda

Conclusion: we shouldn't be afraid to discuss and advocate for human rights.  But we need to be practical, specific and open.

Lisa will be one of 3 moderators of Main Session on Security Openness and Privacy.  Frank La Rue is also moderator.
OK to send to us a list of issues to discuss so that coalition members can help to shape the main session.

TBD:
Discuss workshops more on mailing list
Strategy - coordinating, mobilizing, outreaching, private sector, expand membership for coalition, being strategic about which workshop to attend.  We can discuss these issues on the list, and at the pre-IGF meeting.

III. Henrik (APC) - Introduction - hopes to use IRP Charter as the basis for APC and all its members in Internet Rights work - to spread to member organizations work.

IV. Other items

Need to interact with other DCs. ways to interact with other DCs, maybe have a liaison.
Difficult as many DCs are inactive - but we can build into our strategy and in other meetings
Folks on many DCs other DCs send info to mailing list to share information.


[Meeting adjourned until next time (August)]





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