[Npoc-discuss] Non-Profits, Adverse Legislation, and the Internet Ecosystem

[Sam Lanfranco]

NPOC Colleagues,

I think I am only a member of NCSG but my NPOC-Discuss list membership remains so I am taking this opportunity to comment on a serious current issue for the non-profit constituency, especially in South Asia and in Africa. India has, and Zimbabwe is about to, pass national legislation that seriously restricts non-profits in those countries in (a) collaboration across borders, and (b) receiving financial and material assistance from sources outside the country.

For a couple of decades I managed the (pre-social media) listserv for the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR). We watched, as the Internet allowed greater collaboration between ngos, and their sources of funding. At the same time there were moves on the part of national governments to stifle the voice of ngo's in dealing with domestic issues, issues ranging from human rights to Internet access.

The actual restrictive legislation can vary from the extreme (revoking the ngo's legal status) to forcing limited registration (as a foreign agent) because of foreign material support, including counting a foreign supported website. These repressive measures have grown In response to the growth of the Internet ecosystem as an important means of social engagement and multistakeholder collaboration. Zimbabwe is the latest government to move on legislation to restrict ngo participation in civil space. This strikes at the heart of human rights and the Internet ecosystem.

If NPOC wants to get engaged on this front it could complement its efforts to get ngos' engaged with ICANN with efforts to protect at least the engagement of ngos in the exercise of human rights in the Internet ecosystem.

Sam Lanfranco (NCSG Representative for SASA (Society for the Advancement of Science in Africa) )





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