FINISHED FILE

ICANN.
JUNE 8, 2017
2:00 P.M. CST
DIVERSITY SUBGROUP MEETING

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This text is being provided in a realtime format.  Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) or captioning are provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings.
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   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Hallo, everyone.  This is Fiona.  I think we are at the top of the hour and we should start the call.  I will start the recording.  So, welcome, everybody, to the Diversity Meeting Number 24, on the 8th of June, 2017 at 19:00 UTC.  To get us started, I ask that staff take a roll call of anyone that is, and the number is not yet, so if staff would like to do the roll call?
Have you done the roll call?
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  As usual ‑‑
>> I'll go ahead and do the roll call from the participants.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Okay?  I think the roll call is complete? 
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  It is.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard.  We move on to agenda item number two, the action items and there are none from the last call.  So, we have plan to spend some time of this meeting discussing the report in view of input we've received so far from the AC/SO and document icon.
I don't know how many on the call have been able to review the input that we've received, that had been put on the Wiki.  Because we did get some back from S (?)
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  Have you ‑‑ I'll give you a full update in a minute on that.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Please.
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  All right.  So, we have had responses from SSAK, the GSO, we are expecting replies from the ICANN Board and ICANN Org, hopefully, before the end of the week also.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard, for that.  And so, we still don't have updates from all the other groups.
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  No, we don't.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  For what to set ‑‑ okay.  Can I propose that we send a reminder; however, the drafting team will begin to work on what we have received so far.
So moving on to the report, and possibly we can look at this draft with a read of the input and the questionnaire sent out.
I'm going to move you to Page 4, where we talk about the elements of diversity.  I look at it, the responses so far received, and they've been some interesting proposals and writing of the elements of the university, including a proposal to strike out the skills by one of the groups.  I think it's from the GAK.  However, the diversity (?) is a very important element in a different group, and this sense of composition we had initially, I think, in recommendation one of our report, one and two.  When in accommodation one, we're proposing that responses to the (?) community should agree at the definition of their budgeting time of the number of elements that which it is comprised.
And, I think this is beginning to really come to the front because now there are new elements that have also been put forward, and so the different groups are beginning to rank the elements that are given, and others that they've signed the (?) to their role and the activities that they're involved in, and even recommending that some be thrown out.
So, I think only goes to emphasize ranking is important for us to recommend ICANN.  The whole ICANN Community needs to clearly have a clear definition of diversity and even a clear number of these elements that's comprised that the Diversity Community shall define or we should recommend after getting all of the input.
So possibly the report, we need to make an observation of what we get.  We also had the discussions previously on recommendation two, where we were asking that the speech or country identify those elements of diversity to a role and record these in their documentation and operational procedures, and so far from the responses that have been received, none of the groups had the elements of diversity documented in their operational procedures.
The general use of ICANN ‑‑ the element that ICANN has so far used is important of (?) being emphasized as the one that seems to openly be documented, but the other elements are not supporting documentation.  They're not captured or fully captured in the operation procedures, and therefore, having those clearly identifiable documentation in the (?) procedures are important.
The other position that I have found is an issue that was never quite agreed on previously, and that was diversity in (?).  We captured diversity and skills, we captured ‑‑ we referred to stakeholder, group, or diversity, but we never talked as diversity views.  We explained the diversity rules have come as a difference from different stakeholders’ representation and different constituencies, but there is a proposal for diversity rules needs to be identified.
There are also the proposals to look at the socioeconomic development of the diversity issue.  There are considerations for developing developed NSF regions, and this we find that maybe is something we may need to figure out how to best address.  And I think the general (?) to have general recommendations is important.  On the last call, there was quite an extensive discussion on the recommendation, and my thinking is you still need to then write that the accommodations need to be clear enough to be understood but general enough to allow for flexibility within the ICANN organization to find a way around how to best implement the recommendation without being too prescriptive because when it's too prescriptive then we are getting into issues of implementation and there is an entity that's supposed to be going through the recommendations and implementing them.
So, going back to the report, and in view of the discussions we've had so far, I'd like to open up the floor for input for questions and some discussion.
(silence).
Any comments, feedback, questions?
(silence).
I have a question.  I don't know how we're best going to tackle this.  The registrar industry stakeholder group, for example, it's important of their team finds itself limited in certain aspects of diversity.  And especially, like how we best help that constituency within ICANN and as part of ‑‑ its contribution to ICANN's mandates, how do we assist them in achieving diversity?  Because they say that they're limited with regards to the (?) diversity, and they said also limited in regard to gender, age, physical ability, and diversity of skills.
Which means then of the elements of diversity that we had initially identified, we find this important but as challenged as a result of the nature of the kind of arrangement that we have with ICANN because it's an entity that an ICANN accredited registrar.
So, would we then be putting our accommodations through to ICANN to find a way of working with a group to address the diversity requirements?  Bernard?  Your hand is up.
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  Thank you, Fiona.  Can you hear me?
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Yes.
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  Thank you.  Yes, I read that response, and it presents a rather challenging ‑‑ or rather, it's easy to understand the challenge that the registrar's group is facing or the registrar's group.  I'm really not sure what we can do.
To a certain point, when the membership in a group is very tightly specified as in this group, it becomes much harder to apply tools or programs that will encourage that.  And so, I'm just trying to say, you know, that may be a difficult one to address and maybe we've got a lot of other low‑lying fruit which would be easier for us to do something with.  Sorry not to be more helpful.  Thank you.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard.  We know it's a challenging one, but I like the fact that the group has come up very clear from their own (?) on what the (?) are and how we can best contribute to, and so what the definitions are and what we can best contribute to.
So, I know the organization has been trying to increase the registrars from other regions, especially the Latin America and Africa, and I think those programs should be encouraged and they should continue.
So, yeah.  I would be interested ‑‑ I would want a sense putting (?) that would be too much effort ‑‑
(coughing).
‑‑ in terms of over and above what is already being done, by too much effort that is already (?) for ICANN for each of these regions that goes into quite a bit of regions of building the registrar community.  And, I think we need to give it time for it to be implemented, but we can then see the results of that as opposed to trying to start something else that is entirely new.
So, my thinking was, yeah.  A recommendation along the lines of ICANN continuing some of the regular (?) mechanisms to enhance diversity should be encouraged.
Okay.
(coughing).
Anything or any other responses?
(silence).
From the S (?) group you have additional elements of diversity of (?) background timing in ICANN.
(coughing).
And education and sexual orientation.  At the same showing to (?), is considered relevant to SA because different sectors are supposed to have different rules when tackling security and stability issues.
And then there is a potential to the time involved in ICANN, which is considered relevant because it would require a balance so people coming from outside and bringing in new thinking, and those who have been in ICANN for a long time understand how everything works and so there is less to have an appropriate balance.
This is depending on how this goes through.  If, for example, the issue of (?) involved in ICANN comes in from another group again, then we'll begin to realize that's an important part of diversity that needs to be considered, that there is a cross‑boarder balance of those who are new and those who have been in ICANN for some time.
Bernard?  I can see your hand is up.
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  Thank you, Fiona.  As I walked through your recommendations, and excuse me if I missed it.  You know, one of the things that I've seen work in other contexts, which could be applied here, is a mentorship program for people so that, you know, when some communities come into some environments, it can seem insurmountable.  As you said earlier, some old people have been there and understand all the rules and all the bumps in the carpet where you should not trip, and it can be so much harder for people, especially if you're adding to that bit of a language difficulty.
However, one thing I don't notice in here, and maybe it would be useful for the group to consider is to say, you know, those groups that have issues with, or have an interest, I should say, in increasing their diversity may wish to consider a mentoring program.  Whereby, some of those old folks, which maybe won't be around forever, and who can do their jobs very easily in the ICANN community, can get some youngster or some person that is not so familiar with the ICANN environment, meets the requirements for being part of that group, and can be mentored to eventually increase that kind of participation.  I don't know if that's useful.  Just a thought.  Thank you.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard.  As you are presenting that, I was just looking at recommendation nine on each ‑‑ (reading number nine) ‑‑ in expression and leadership, and maybe if we expand that, if we can go to where we explain it in a bit more details, then that should be on ‑‑ give me a minute.
(coughing).
Okay.  I think we ‑‑ (Speaking off mic).
Where we explain accommodation, we should be able to explain and put in a recommendation nine.  Yes, it's on page eleven.  We should be able to explain recommendation nine a bit more and provide the possibility of a mentoring program that should just propose(?) ‑‑ and I think that should help as providing some guidance as a tool or mechanism that can be used to promote diversity in both in occupation and in leadership because it's through that that you begin to develop the relevant skills and you're able to then grow and to be able to pick up more challenging leadership positions.
(silence).
Avri, if you don't mind, could you please speak up and explain your two comments?  If you are able to talk?
Okay.  So, you have no audio.  Okay.
(silence).
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Okay.  As part of this problem, the mentorship opportunities, there are also really overloaded ones, and even those roles who do mentor (?) to be at another task, we suggest that there is also active and passive mentorship.  She does also passive, and will ask me questions, and admits to being one of the old folks, but she does not do actually mentoring where the (?).  Okay.  We're getting that.
So, if we suggest mentoring, we should be specific about what we are suggesting.  Okay.  Bernard, you are your hand up?
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  Yes, thank you.  I'm actually ‑‑ I've had a discussion with Avri this week about being specific in some things and less specific in other things, and I'm actually writing that note up right now, Avri, so you should get that and I think it's going to be applicable to all the subgroups that are making recommendations.
In this case on mentorship, I've found in the past, it's really an individual style thing.  I think everyone understands the concept, and I think it's more a question of all the groups being aware that it's one of the tools, and they can implement it however they want.
You know, it's going to depend more on the people inside the group and what they're willing to do instead of defining a specific role for things, so I would caution on trying to be overly specific on this.  Thank you.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard.  I think I like that idea.  The fact that we (?) the mentoring of the tool that can be used to support diversity, but we need the groups to then work out within themselves on how they'll be able to achieve that and how they'll use that slack from mentoring of the tools to support diversity.  Or did I not get you right?
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  No.  That's exactly ‑‑ that's exactly what I meant, Fiona.  Thank you.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Okay.  Thanks.  So, then we move on to additional comments.
(coughing).
(silence).
Okay.  From the we have added additional diversity items is (?) business models, and the various business models they're looking at are business models within the registrar constituency, registrar's (?) and registrar's ‑‑ or registries and so for them that is where the business model comes from ‑‑ and then resources where they're looking at the (?) from the registry businesses and that they're able to have and have these to sort of contribute to the ICANN meeting through the GSO, through development processes implementation review team and other elected or volunteer positions within the ICANN community as a whole.
And, I think I found that quite an interesting role, looking at diversity, so possibly when they are compiling, we will see how to capture all of these new elements of diversity that we've gotten from the different stakeholder groups.
Our interest and what is coming through across all the responses we've received so far, is that none of the SOs or AC groups are measuring or tracking diversity issues within their work.  We have been supporting them.  They simply just support them.  They do not focus on mentoring aspects of diversity, with the exception of the SSAC that paid attention to its primary aspect of diversity, the most important with skills and therefore they have a mechanism of skills and (?) and that (?) the data on how diverse the skill set is within the SSAC but for all the other groups there is no mechanism of measuring and tracking diversity, so that's something you need to emphasize only because it will be very difficult, even for a ICANN organization to plan and appropriately develop a strategy around diversity when we don't have sufficient data to work with.  And then the other observation, from the SSAC ‑‑ 
   >> FIONA:  S‑S‑A‑C.
‑‑ on diversity and participation and its leadership.  The responses have also been very valid on this, and so both SSAC, SAC, have been very clear on issues of diversity, and also the registry group.  They're very clear on diversity that are important to them, so each of them have approached it best on the issues of diversity that they consider important.  So, the SSAC has really been skilled, they've been skilled and that's the issue that they've emphasized on and that they promote within their membership.
For the registry group, the (?) for presentation and language are key to them, so for the GAC, the graphic representation, language, gender are important.  
The GNSO document doesn't explain much about what that council does in terms of diversity, but it refers to their bylaws on how the different constituencies of the GNSO should (?) diversity within their GNSO council, and I think it's important that we catch up on that observation.
What I'm finding interesting is the response to question five.  This is a list of activities of informational initiatives that have taken from different AC and SO to promote different diversity awareness; however, interesting that most of them are not under any written policy of this very flexible initiatives that are (?).
So when reading through that, what I have (?) is that the whole idea of a recommendation seven where the ICANN community develops processes to develop a long‑term strategy with diversity, involve participation, leadership, as well as recommendation nine where each SO and AC group within ICANN have a goal for approving a diversity initiative (?) and I think are very important.
If we move on to ‑‑ to question six, it's that most of the questions have written policies or formal practices.  It's very informal and written and allows for quite a lot of flexibility.  And I think the one thing that's coming out so far in the responses we have received is that it's a bit of a challenge to have a one‑size‑fits‑all approach to the different ACs and SOs, and that goes to emphasize the more reason why we need to have our recommendations as clear and very easy for the ICANN organization to navigate through and implement.
Because I think the different groups are bringing their differences in terms of what is important to them and which elements of diversity are most important.
Yvette, I have seen your comment.  (?) has got the recommendations, page eleven on the recommendations.
Any comments so far on the input you have received?
Any other comments on the report?
That will let us move forward.  I would like to suggest that the drafting team begins to capture the input that we can into the report and we try to circulate it before our next call next week for at least one read through before we can show the (?).
It is my hope that as the documents on the Wiki have been put on, read through those comments so that we can help draft that puts them into our report, and we can help them in terms of (?) in the discussion so that we can adjust accordingly.
Any other comments on the reports?
To the staff, I'm assuming that the issue raised during the last conference call of ICANN developing some targets to achieve diversity will come through with input from the CEO and (?) on our questionnaire.  Or is that something separate that you would have to look at separately?  Bernard, could you give some advice?
Okay.  Thank you, Bernard.  Could you please check?  Perhaps not that, I needed to know, because if it's coming in as part of the input from ICANN staff and CEO and staff, then we shall wait.  If it isn't, then it will be good for someone from the team that's handling the targets on diversity to show us what they have in mind so that we can see how we incorporate those views as we try to finalize on our report.
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  We'll try to get that information.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard.  I have a question to the rest of the group.  If all the ACs and SOs do not provide ‑‑ the groups do not provide their input in good time, do we agree to still proceed with the report at the level it will be and then can incorporate their views as we move on to the public comments?  Or how do you suggest to go about it?  Any suggestions on how we should proceed?  What really happens if all the groups don't give their input, how do we proceed, Bernard?
   >> BERNARD TURCOTTE:  Thank you, Fiona.  Well, it's rare everyone provides input, so this is not an uncommon situation.  And given that we're right before an ICANN meeting, I think it shows that everyone takes this very seriously, given the responses you've gotten.
I wouldn't worry about it too much.  You've gotten some responses.  You will be getting ICANN Org and ICANN Board and Non, and I think that's going to be a great start and let's not forget that you'll be going through two reads at the plenary.  And that if required, you can make some minor changes at that point in between those two reads.
The other thing is that we should be heading for an early public comment, which means that this group could go through two public comments if it so wishes, and that should bring you a lot of comfort that, A, going through a public comment will bring you comments which will allow you to refine the draft recommendations and possibly go to a second public comment.
So I, at this point my recommendation to you, would be not to worry about the input too much.  You're getting great input, you're doing good work, let's keep going at it.  Thank you.
   >> FIONA ASONAA:  Thank you, Bernard.  And I see a comment from Lito, to send out a reminder, one last reminder and then we go to the report as it shall be, but I think I will start working the drafting team the next couple of days, that you can be able to share an updated version of the report, so all the (?).  Wherever you are, please give us a few more hours of your time in the next couple of days that you can update the report.
And I think that's it because I'm not seeing any other hands up.  Are there any other comments?
(silence).
Okay.  So, there have been no other comments.  We shall bring the meeting to a close, and therefore I will send you another 10 or so minutes of your day.  Thank you so much everyone who has been available to attend the call.  Thank you to staff for supporting us, the interpreters, the captioning team, we appreciate your continuous support.  
Let us take time and read through the input that you will send so that we will be able to give it the right level of criticism and thinking through so that you can have a good report.  Thank you so much.  Good luck to your activities, good day, good morning, good night, good afternoon.  Have a lovely day.  Bye.
(session completed at 2:51 p.m. CST)

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This text is being provided in a realtime format.  Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) or captioning are provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings.
***