The bottom up, multi-stakeholder ICANN system is based on the participation of all stakeholders (governments, private sector and end-users) in the decision-making process. Therefore, African end users, represented in ICANN’s At-Large Community by the African representatives of At-Large Structures (ALSes), must be able to contribute effectively to ICANN’s policy development process. This requires a sound knowledge of ICANN’s structure, policies and policy development process. At the same time, African ALS representatives should be aware of the broader challenges and opportunities related to global governance of the Internet.
An informal survey of AFRALO ALSes taken in 2009 showed that many representatives faced challenges in gaining the necessary level of comprehension of the significant volume of policy-related publications and activities generated by ICANN while they need to contribute to ICANN’s policy development process in an informed manner. The survey also indicated that a lack of understanding of ICANN’s organizational structure was an additional barrier to effective participation in ICANN activities.
Following the publication of this survey, an AFRALO working group produced a document outlining the capacity building needs of AFRALO. This document was adopted by the full membership of AFRALO in July 2009. According to this document, and in order to provide the members of AFRALO with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to effectively contribute to ICANN policies, capacity building requirements include:
- To inform and educate AFRALO representatives on ICANN activities
- To increase the understanding of ICANN policies
- To establish a communication policy that reflects the realities of the African region.
Thus, it is clear that until AFRALO representatives gain greater knowledge regarding ICANN’s organizational structure, policy-development process and current policies, and develop a regional communications policy, they will continue to remain inactive and marginalized.
The AFRALO meeting held during the ICANN meeting which took place in Seoul in October 2009, resulted in AFRALO representatives agreeing to organize an outreach event during the next ICANN international public meeting that will be held on African soil in Nairobi, Kenya 7-12 March 2010. This meeting was seen to be a very good opportunity to maximize the participation of AFRALO representatives in a series of capacity-building sessions which would inform and train them on ICANN and its processes of policy development.
Because it wasn’t planned in the ICANN budget for that fiscal year, the capacity building training sessions couldn’t be implemented in Nairobi.
The upcoming ICANN meeting in Africa is the 42nd, due to take place from 23 to 28 October 2011. AFRALO is planning to implement the capacity building training sessions there.
This proposal provides an outline of the proposed event* *
- Objective
The main objective of this project is to build capacity and raise awareness of ICANN policies, organization and activities to increase the effectiveness of the participation of the African end-users representatives in ICANN’s policy development process.
Over 5 days of the ICANN meeting in Dakar, the project aims at providing representatives of AFRALO ALSes with briefings on the key policies, issues, activities and structure of ICANN. These briefings will be conducted by relevant ICANN officers and staff, and allow for open discussion.
2. Methodology
To achieve this objective, a series of sessions on the policy development process at ICANN will be held during the 42ndICANN meeting. Participants will be made of representatives of African ALSes
For the best efficiency, the sessions will be organized from Monday to Thursday early in the morning (From 7 to 9 a.m.) to allow the AFRALO ALS representatives to participate in ICANN meetings in order to apply what they learned during the morning sessions. A session of half a day (Sunday morning) will be dedicated to the overall presentation of ICANN structure and mission, when the morning sessions of the 4 remaining days will be used to detail ICANN policies, policy development and communication system.
*3. *Attendees
Representatives of all the AFRALO ALSes
*4. *Expected results
Today, only 22 organizations of African civil society are accredited to participate in the activities of ICANN. Most of them are inactive and thus don’t have any influence on the decision-making within ICANN.
After this training:
4.1. The participation of each supported ALS in AFRALO monthly teleconferences, in the public comments issued by ICANN on various topics under discussion, in the working groups and all consultations should be improved to defend the interests of the African end users.
4.2. Each sponsored ALS should also try to make one other organization of African civil society, active in the field of Internet, interested in ICANN and seek accreditation to become an AFRALO ALS.
5. Program
Sunday 23 October 2011
08:00 - 08:30 Program introduction: Aims and objectives* *
08:30 – 10:30 ICANN’s role in the infrastructure of the Internet
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 13:00 ICANN Mission, Structure and Constituencies
Monday 24 October 2011
07:00 – 08:00 ICANN Policies: Introduction (Briefings)
08:00 – 09:00 ICANN Policies: Case Study and Group Exercise
Tuesday 25 October 2011
07:00 – 08:00 ICANN policy development process: Introduction (Briefings)
08:00 – 09:00 ICANN policy development process: Case study and Group Exercise
Wednesday 26 October 2011
07:00 – 08:00 ICANN Public Participation and Communication: Introduction
08:00 – 09:00 Development of an AFRALO regional communication strategy
Thursday 27 October 2011
07:00 – 07:40 Presentations of policy group exercises
07:40 – 08:20 Presentations of policy development exercises
08:20 – 09:00 Conclusions and Next Steps* *
6. Evaluation criteria
6.1. Increase in number of AFRALO ALSes involved in the ICANN process (working groups, consultations, public comments, teleconferences, etc.).
6.2. Increase in number of AFRALO contributions to At-Large and ICANN policy consultations.
6.3. Increase in African ALS accreditations during the next period.
*7. *Logistical aspects
7.1. Travel support for each participant including airfare, accommodation and per diem* *
7.2. A room for 30 persons, equipped with the simultaneous interpretation infrastructure.
7.3. Interpreters (English and French)
*8. *Coordination
This operation needs the contribution of the At-Large secretariat and Global Partnerships staff.
It also requires a dedicated coordinator who will work with the ICANN Meetings staff to coordinate all the logistical aspects, including arranging the various instructors. It is suggested that Gisella Gruber, who has African roots, and who is perfectly bilingual would be a good choice.
