Page History

I'm a lawyer by training, and before working with two research institutions in India on Internet governance policy, I was briefly a journalist with a national daily. It is the NCUC's spirit of openness and its ability to absorb vastly divergent -- often critical -- views on policy that attracted me to this constituency. It has been very similar to being in an editorial board meeting with a bunch of quibbling journalists who care about the same causes!

Over the last year, I have engaged in modest community-strengthening efforts in India and the Asia Pacific region on Internet governance. I am the vice-chair of the Asia Pacific Internet Governance Forum and the coordinator of CyFy, an annual conference on IG and cyber security hosted by the Observer Researcher Foundation, New Delhi. At CyFy this year, we focused on bringing together nearly 30 researchers and practitioners from Asia and Africa, aided generously by DFID and the Swedish government. Regional consultations are crucial to building consensus in global platforms like ICANN and I hope to continue facilitating discussions among the NCUC Asia Pacific community.

The NCUC itself is in flux with greater representation today from developing  regions. First, the constituency's position within ICANN ought to be consolidated, a task that will require our tweaking the bylaws. With the help of our senior colleagues in the NCUC, a small team of us is currently working on this operation, and hope to have results before Marrakech. Second, the constituency should coordinate its strategies and policies, especially as the post-IANA set up may empower some constituencies over others. How can we best synchronise out divergent views on key issues at ICANN? How do we ensure that our GNSO councillors get the support they need from the community? And finally, how do we expand our reach and funding, to ensure travel support and resources to emerging voices?

I have more questions than answers, but I hope to help pitch in with my input to the NCUC community on these issues, whether as EC representative or not. As for the executive committee, let me add here that I have great faith in the Chair candidate and the other probables from across regions, both in their organisational and strategic abilities. My best to all candidates, especially my colleagues from the Asia Pacific region.

 REGION: Europe

1. Why do you want to serve on the EC?

Positive impact on NCUC operational and the administrative matters: The Executive Committee (EC) is one of the important pillars of NCUC governance structure. The EC influences the operational and administrative matters of NCUC and allows the members to get engaged with the substance of ICANN policy and makes the non-commercial users participation within ICANN more effective.  I have strong policy experience from both my professional and volunteer activities; I will carry out these tasks efficiently, and use my skills to work with and support my colleagues.

In-reach and outreach: I specifically want to serve on EC to help with in-reach and outreach. My strategies consist of reaching out to those active in other Internet governance (IG) organisations and who are not yet active in NCUC. I also would like to conduct outreach beyond those already within the IG field and create interest in wider community especially technical community activists.

I hope to seek out European and other non-commercial users and raise awareness about NCUC's important mission of protecting the rights of non-commercial users on the Internet. I also want to focus on potential members in those countries that have not been active or do not have a member in NCUC. I also would like to organize in-reach, by communicating individually with the new and old NCUC members who are less active and explain what we do and how they can get engaged; ideally I would like to give them a personalized plan of action based on their experience that would allow them to become active in different initiatives. 

Strengthening women’s presence: I also have plans for strengthening women's presence within NCUC. To start, this can be done by informing various women IG coalitions, communicating and coordinating to ensure they are informed about NCUC activities, and why our work is relevant to them.

2. Provide a brief biography of recent experience, associations, and affiliations relevant to serving on the Executive Committee. Describe the relevance of your personal and professional experience to serve on the NCUC Executive Committee, and identify any conflicts of interests you might have.

Academic and professional background: I received my bachelor degree from Mazandaran University in Iran, and then moved to England and received my masters’ degree in international law at Kingston University.

I worked in Switzerland for the United Nations Internet Governance Forum and am currently a doctoral candidate at Hamburg University, Germany. I am based in Berlin and a fellow at the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. As you can gather, I have lived, studied and worked in a number of European countries, namely the UK, Switzerland and Germany. I speak English, reasonable French and am learning German (and am a native Farsi speaker).

Substantive and operational experience: I work with global and European organizations and think tanks active in IG, for example the Internet Governance Project (Milton Mueller and Brenden Kuerbis) and Internet and Jurisdiction Project (Bertrand de La Chapelle and Paul Fehlinger). I have worked with the UN IGF and EuroDIG (European Internet Governance Forum) and am familiar with their organizational structures and have carried out administrative and operational tasks that facilitate participation in policymaking processes. I have arranged the UN-IGF meeting both in person and remotely, and have organized and managed many of the preparatory processes. I am in close contacts with many IG initiatives in Europe and this will help me recruiting new members. 

Experience within ICANN: Within ICANN, I have been active in discussions of the CCWG-accountability of ICANN and have helped promote NCUC goals in the CCWG. I am formulating a working party on visas to overcome the challenges for obtaining visa to attend ICANN meetings. I have been a part of the fellowship program and belong to its mentorship program, this experience help me support new NCUC members as well. I am also working on the transparency issues of ICANN which needs specific attention. 

Within broader IG landscape, I am carrying out research on ccTLD policy and on Regional Internet Registries' accountability. I have a broad knowledge of the IG ecosystem.  I am active in other Internet governance processes, such as the IGF, at the recent IGF in Brazil I co-organized a workshop on the IANA transition and a dynamic coalition on accountability. I have also organized workshops on online dispute resolution (IGF-Baku) and fiber optic issues (IGF-Turkey). 

3. The EC performs several functional responsibilities for the Constituency.  What level of time commitment can you bring to your EC role on a weekly and overall basis?  Describe any concerns or limitations on your ability to attend online meetings of the Executive Committee and ICANN Meetings in person. 

I am fully committed to the EC. I have other projects to work on, however I have considered the time commitment before accepting the nomination.  I mainly manage my own work schedule and can commit to being able to join calls at most times of day/night. I am fortunate that my research and work interests often overlap with ICANN, so devoting more time it quite easy. It is also intellectually rewarding.  I already travel extensively for my work/research, I understand the potential EC schedule and it is acceptable.  

4. Communication with the membership is critical. How would you keep members apprised of your EC-related activities?

Communication strategies: I think we need to be transparent in the work of the EC, and will work with my EC colleagues to make this happen. I will have a separate mailing list for the European members in order to inform them about important issues that are being discussed at ICANN as well as my progress and my role. I will provide a quarterly report of my activities and have quarterly teleconferences and also on demand teleconferences. I will have a separate Twitter account for the Europeans to be able to reach out to me at any time and receive updates easily. I also do not bind myself to one means of communication, if the European members have different preferences as regards to communication tools, I will happily consider them. 

5. How do you foresee NCUC’s function, scale, or role changing in the future? What areas of ICANN policy, if any, need more attention and why?  

The NCUC will to continue to grow, and we are already a large constituency, putting the membership management system in place is a priority.  I would like to see members being able to learn from each other.  The skills members have are one of our big assets.  I have experience with membership/volunteer management. 

The EC is not really a policy body in NCUC, however, in the short term implementing the transition proposals, and supporting non-commercial principles in that process should be on NCUC agenda. 

We need to also ensure work stream 2 commitments in CCWG-accountability, are honored and implemented.  Protecting privacy, and the work of the human rights working party are also of importance. We should also ensure that the new meeting strategy supports non-commercial user participation and interests. I will be happy to inform the European members about these issues.

REGION: Africa

1. Why do you want to serve on the EC?

First, in order to represent the best representation of Africa in this position, and secondly in order to serve and possible all stakeholders to exercise good stewardship cemented in human dignity. We need a period of renewal for another blood in the veins of this organization until the election of new people to the benefit of everyone.To help my continental African and to raise the voice of African in ICANN. To try to support african people in the ICANN community.

2. Provide a brief biography of recent experience, associations, and affiliations relevant to serving on the Executive Committee. Describe the relevance of your personal and professional experience to serve on the NCUC Executive Committee, and identify any conflicts of interests you might have.

 I am Electronics Engineer (System Administrator and Network) I completed a Master degree in Computer Engineering and Networks.

 MY activities:

 I am participating in many activities:

 - ICANN Meeting in Cairo, Egypt 2008.

 - ICANN Meeting  in Sydney, Australia 2009.

 - ICANN Meeting in Belgium.-ICANN Meeting in Costa Rica.

 - I am a Member of Locking of a Domain Name Subject to UDRP Proceedings PDP WG Working Group, ICANN.

 - I am a Member of The Inter Register Transfer Policy Part C working Group, ICANN.

 - 3rd Euro-Africa Cooperation Forum On ICT Research, Scandic Marina Congress Centre - Helsinki, Finland.

 - 2010 Euro-Africa E-Infrastructures Conference, Scandic Marina Congress Centre -Helsinki, Finland.

 - 6th  International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

 - AFRINIC Meetings.- NomCom 2011m 2012, AfriNic.

 - African Peering Coordinate Forum (AFPIF), Peering Coordinators Day, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

 - EGM on the Roadmap for Internet Governance in Arab Region,  United Nations House, Beirut, Lebanon.

 - First and Second African Internet Governance Forum.

 - First and Second Arab Internet Governance Forum.

 - Internet Governance Forum, Bali, Indonesia.I have no conflicts of interest. 

3. The EC performs several functional responsibilities for the Constituency.  What  level of time commitment can you bring to your EC role on a weekly and overall basis?  Describe any concerns or limitations on your ability to attend online meetings of the Executive Committee and ICANN Meetings in person. 

I have dedicate about 12 Hours a week and more if there are some more meetings available. I will perform my duties and responsibilities perfectly . Also to increase my contribution in ICANN Meetings in person and online meetings.

4. Communication with the membership is critical. How would you keep members apprised of your EC-related activities?

The Communications for the memberships is very important and it can be available through mailing list and regular announcements. 

5. How do you foresee NCUC’s function, scale, or role changing in the future? What areas of ICANN policy, if any, need more attention and why?  

I promise to continue to raise issues with NCUC policy and rules. I need to raise the issues in Cyber security, especially in Social Security ( protections of children from the dangers of Internet). We have to continue engaging in the GNSO PDP process.I shall pressure to see new faces in ICANN Board Members especially in developing countries. More about me see my C.V. attached here

REGION: Europe

Here is first of all my background - I'm 27 years old, I live in Moscow, Russia. I got BSc in IT, BA in Management, MSc in IT and PhD in IT.

Currently I'm associate professor, deputy head for international relations at the School of Business Informatics at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow, Russia) (the most liberal and one of the top universities in Russia), I'm also academic head of the MSc program in "E-Business". I got my small company as well and I know how to deal with "business things". I'm also a public person - serve as PA for different public people in Russia from Parliament and Council of Federation, I'm also an expert for the special commission on development of Information society in Russia and trying to introduce some best practices I get from the IGFs and some other Internet society-related meetings where I participate.

I've been participating at the IGF for 4 years and for 3years I've been co-organizer of different workshops there, which I truly believe, were successful in terms of further implementation of their results. 

I'm also a speaker at different international and Russian events related to the Internet development, Business informatics and Standardization of innovations in IT.

I truly believe that experience I can get out of serving at the EC will definitely help me with further development of some policies and introducing some activities in the area of Internet in Russia and CIS on the level of Civil Society and Technical Community at the same time. As I nominated to be at the European level - (I actively collaborate with colleagues from Finland, Estonia, Austria and Germany) - I guess I will try to being deeply involved in collaboration with colleagues from all the European countries, even though I truly believe is it very tough process (thus I asked if there is EC representative from Russia and CIS and not for the whole Europe).

I'm a young person and have to work hard in order to think about my future "prospective" retirement and in general to work for living ( :-)) , thus I work 40h a week (usually even more). But I usually find time for the things I'm interested in, in terms of commitment of time - I believe I can spend from 5 to 8 hours per week on EC. In terms of attending meetings in person - for me it is matter of funding as my University cant fund my participation in those activities as it is not related to any university's activities :-( Thus - if there is some funding available for in person participation at different events and meetings - I commit my participation and I'm sure I can arrange my schedule in order to participate at the events and meetings.

I guess that Social Networks really help to communicate as well as e-mails - thus I will think about Facebook activities and communication via e-mail.

I think that society should be actively involved in control of almost all areas of ICANN policy - why? because most of the time those areas have connection (direct or indirect) to the society and our lifestyle in either short-term or long-term prospective. Society should be involved in domain zone allocation as further society will use those domains and so on. 

I guess now the most important topic is the situation with that "transfer of ICANN" which was postponed this summer but which should be performed anyway.

I won't go to any concrete steps so far as I think that all the steps will be introduces together with the community and initiative should go from the community level focusing on the problems community has.

I know I have small chances being elected as I didn't have possibilities to participate in such a nice e-mail discussions about some topics, but I participated in some polls, signed several manifests and corrected some documents, which were shared via e-mail list during 2015.

Thank you very much and I'm looking forward for any answers, comments and of course - results.

p.s. sorry for typos

You can find some of my bio here:

www.hse.ru/en/staff/mkomarov 

REGION: North America

 I have been nominated for the Executive Committee position for North America and have accepted the nomination.

 As we have already discussed on the list, there is a need for some major organizational changes in the constituency. This will require a mixture of leadership, experience, institutional  memory and vision. We are also facing challenges regarding the role of constituencies in the NCSG that need to be deal with. I think I have a deep understanding of all those issues and thus am in a good position to do something about them.  

 I would also like to point out that my opponent in this race, Mr. None of the Above, is well-known for never doing any work. There is no record of him ever making a contribution to the NCUC and if you look at our email list archives you will never find a constructive comment from this guy. He has nothing to offer but negative campaigning and negative statements. Further, when the constituency was founded, where was he? Not around, contributed nothing. Typical. None of the Above is really a loser. 

 POSITION: Chair

1. Why do you want to serve as NCUC chair?

 I am looking to continue my volunteering work and serve the non-commercials as I did before. I used to be NCSG chair and after some time of thinking I  responded to the request of several members to run for this position. For that reason, I would like to spend the time on continuing the work started before and moving up to a next stage for NCUC. On other hand I would like to prepare the next leaders, making NCUC resilient and stronger.

2. Provide a brief biography of recent experience, associations, and affiliations relevant to serving on the Executive Committee. Describe the relevance of your personal and professional experience to serve on the NCUC Executive Committee, and identify any conflicts of interests you might have.

 I have an extensive experience of ICANN and GNSO  processes and policies issues: I used to be a GNSO councillor for NCSG from 2009 to 2012, Nomcom representative for NCUC in 2012-2013. I also used to be the NCUC representative to NCSG Executive Committee.

I was the co-chair of the joint new gTLD applicant support working group and I am currently the co-chair of the ICANN cross-community working group on Internet Governance.

I was the chair of NCSG from 2013 to 2015 and I do think that gives me insight on the expectations, requirements and duties of the role of chair: having experience to work with ICANN staff, executive committee and other ICANN groups, planning for meetings, doing the admin work, setting plans etc

In other spaces within civil, I was member of the OECD CSISAC steering committee and I am currently member of Internet Rights and Principles Dynamic Coalition steering committee.

I have no conflict of interests.

3. The EC performs several functional responsibilities for the Constituency.  What  level of time commitment can you bring to your EC role on a weekly and overall basis?  Describe any concerns or limitations on your ability to attend online meetings of the Executive Committee and ICANN Meetings in person. 

I am committing 10 hours to 15 hours and more in weekly basis , which can mean 40 hours in monthly basis. From my previous experience as chair, I am familiar with the peak period of work e.g. preparing for ICANN meeting.

I am regularly attending confcall for working group, NCSG confcall etc so able to do the same and organize the online meeting for EC. I am able to attend ICANN meetings.

4. Communication with the membership is critical. How would you keep members apprised of your EC-related activities? 

I am planning to focus on engagement and communication among other areas. I will continue the work I used to  do in term of informing the membership about ICANN activities, announcements, public comments , ongoing policies discussion, NCUC activities and  EC decisions, and any other area of interest for NCUC. I will do that via the mailing list, leveraging existing spaces such NCUC website, wiki, twitter account but also possibly having a regular confcall or webinar. 

I am also going to work more on 1-to-1 engagement to tailor it to the specific needs of organizational and individual members for matter of effectiveness: providing clear advices/support about participation in ICANN/GNSO processes, briefing about current policy issues, mentorship for newcomers and participants in working group etc.

I am also planning to blog more using NCUC website to provide briefings, information sharing etc. also levering other approaches such as videos, newsletter etc. Communications will be coordinated with other EC members and involving existing comm team.

5. How do you foresee NCUC’s function, scale, or role changing in the future? What areas of ICANN policy, if any, need more attention and why?   

As strategy, I would like to  work with new EC to focus on:

* strengthening NCUC operational part: based on what is done before to continue the work on membership management, communication, improving  committees and ad-hoc teams work, improving the admin support, improving policy support for NCSG, revamping the website in term of content, experimenting new tools for engaging members.

* strengthening NCUC structurally: incorporating it, increasing its budget, working on partnerships with other groups for specific projects & initiatives, finalising the bylaw update and managing that process.

*Improving NCUC communication: continue the work already done and pushing for more NCUC visibility within and outside ICANN,  making regular public statement to indicate NCUC positions.

* working with other stakeholders within its direct environment in GNSO:liaising with other groups, coordinating joint efforts etc

* improving membership engagement and participation: with the steady growth of NCUC, it is important to scale out our membership management  effort , improving members involvement in order to expand the pool of volunteers. Listening to our members needs and expectations from NCUC.

* Outreach: continue the work done in that domain and improving it with better evaluation and follow-up, more targeted efforts to bring new players

in term of policy, the focus in mid-term is clearly about the ICANN accountability process and the finalization of IANA stewardship transition. New and critical policy processes are going to start soon or already started  and we have to follow them closely: new whois policies, rights protection mechanisms review in particular UDRP, review of new gTLD program and the work on next round. we ought to be heavily involved there.