[CCWG-ACCT] Engaging the community - some thoughts

[Arun Sukumar]

I understand the CCWG has identified who the community is based on who will
be "directly" or "indirectly" affected by ICANN's actions, but most of the
proposals, if not all of them, tabled today - be it on community
empowerment, powers to remove the Board, etc -- seem too focused on static
ICANN constituencies.

This is fine if the CCWG feels it is not within the group's remit to think
beyond the SO/ACs of ICANN. Personally, I think any exercise to enhance the
Corporation's accountability should consider the audience it will cater to
in the future. It is not enough that "business" or "at large" or
"non-commercial users" are labelled so as ICANN constituencies.  Where is
the discussion in the CCWG on the concerns of representation within them -
based on gender, age, geographical representation, nature of internet
access?

The most appropriate policy intervention that the CCWG can make in this
regard to draft an expansive Mission Statement and Core Values. Yet, we
seem happy to confine its vision to conform to ICANN Bylaws (which, wearing
my lawyer's hat is difficult to understand given the preamble is always
more expansive than the operational statute).

I raise this only because the question of ICANN accountability is not a
technocratic/legal exercise alone. The issue of accountability was brought
to the table only later in 2014, although the NTIA did not feel it
necessary to include it in its original announcement. A political opening,
therefore, requires, I hesitate to add, an equally sensitive response.
Otherwise, the accountability working group's  output will be seen as
moving far too little in this direction.

cheers
arun

-- 
-
@arunmsukumar <http://www.twitter.com/arunmsukumar>
Senior Fellow, Centre for Communication Governance <http://www.ccgdelhi.org>
National Law University, New Delhi
Ph: +91-9871943272
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