[comments-soac-accountability-14apr17] FW: [Ext] India comments on Recommendations to Improve SO/AC Accountability

[Patrick Dodson]

Submitting to the formal public comment system.

Patrick Dodson


From: <tsantosh at meity.gov.in> on behalf of T Santhosh <tsantosh at meity.gov.in>
Date: Sunday, May 28, 2017 at 22:09
To: Patrick Dodson <patrick.dodson at icann.org>
Cc: JS DeitY Rajiv Bansal <rajiv.bansal at nic.in>, Pradeep Kumar Verma <pradeep.verma at deity.gov.in>, "gac at icann.org" <gac at icann.org>
Subject: [Ext] India comments on Recommendations to Improve SO/AC Accountability

Dear Patrick


Please find below India comments on Recommendations to Improve SO/AC Accountability. We apologise for the delay.


1)      Draft Recommendations regarding SO/AC Accountability:

a.       While, the Independent Review Process (IRP) cannot be made applicable to disputes brought against or involving SO/ACs, it is advisable to have more clarity on procedures to challenge an AC or SO action or inaction. The draft recommendations should look into the feasibility of having an independent party dedicated to addressing such grievances. Even though, it suggests an Ombudsman complaint as a method to address grievances, it may not be the most expeditious process, since an Ombudsman cannot devote their entire time to this process. Therefore, a mechanism to hold SO/ACs to account other than the Ombudsman is needed.

b.      Furthermore, the draft recommendations must advise SO/ACs to regularly assess, if it is accomplishing its accountability commitments, taking into consideration a range of internal and external stakeholder perspectives. Reviews may include an analysis of strengths and challenges in addition to recommendations for improvement.  The annual report that the SO/AC Groups publish (As per recommendation 5 on Pg.18 of Draft Recommendations), must also include these areas for improvement and a strategy that may be adopted to fill these gaps.

2)      Draft Recommendations regarding SO/AC Transparency:

a.       In order to effectively thwart a risk of ‘capture’, it is imperative to ensure diversity in SO/AC/Groups. While speaking of diversity, the importance of ‘Geographic Diversity’ cannot be overstated. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that geographies (countries) where the largest number of internet users come from should be provided with voting rights and membership proportionate to the legions of internet users they seek to represent. Furthermore, each SO/AC must ensure equitable representation from each region.

3)      Draft Recommendations regarding SO/AC Participation:

a.       It appears that fluency in English is a core skill for ICANN leaders. While, no data is available to substantiate this claim, the proportion of leaders fluent in English is estimated to be 90%, an alarmingly high number suggesting that deeper exclusion occurs when a representative is not fluent in English. In order to reach out to maximum number of community members, ‘Main Language’, must also include world’s top ten most widely spoken languages in addition to the official languages. Currently, newsletters and brochures are published only in the six Official UN Languages and this acts as a major barrier to entry for people belonging to popular language groups, that fall outside of this list.

b.      An indicative list of what may qualify as a ‘confidential matter’ may be provided (similar to an exemplary list provided for holding a closed meeting on Pg 6 of the Draft Recommendations).

c.       In addition to having a strategy for outreach to different community members, each SO/AC must at the end of the year assess its efficacy in enhancing participation from diverse parts of the community and must publish its findings.

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[1]<file:///C:/Users/dit867.INTRADIT/Downloads/Response_to_Public_Comment%20(2).docx#_ftnref1> https://www.afnic.fr/medias/documents/Dossiers_pour_actualites/2016_Icann_Diversity_Data.pdf


--
Warm Regards

T.Santhosh
Scientist 'E' / Additional Director
Ministry of Electronics  and Information Technology
Government of India
Electronics Niketan, 6 CGO Complex,
New Delhi - 110003 (India)
Tel: +91-11-24364741, 24301831

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