Geen diatitel

1
Hivos and the World Summit on the Information
Society sharing experiences Paul Maassen,
WSIS-responsible, Hivos.com
PEOPLE UNLIMITED
Hivos wants to contribute to a free, free, fair
and sustainable world. Local, independent
organisations play a critical role in this.
Hivos is convinced that if people are given a
fair chance, they have nearly endless
possibilities. Hivos. People unlimited.
EADI IMWG 10 Sept 2004 Maastricht
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Dutch stakeholders and WSIS

• Government from passive to moderately active
• Private sector not interested
• Civil society small group of NGOs involved
• Public unaware at large
• Press no coverage, except in December 2003
• Hivos interested and involved

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What did Hivos do?

• Facilitated meetings with Dutch experts to
  formulate recommendations
• Monitored the international processes on both the
  government and civil society side
• Reviewed and commented on official texts and
  advised the Dutch government on main issues and
  texts
• Held meetings with Members of Parliament
• Organised a WSIS-day for public and government
• Participated in delegation, on Prepcoms and
  summit
• Organised meetings between Dutch delegation and
  Hivos partners from the south to visualize ICT4D
• Continued participation in the national Dutch
  delegation

4
Hivos role and results

• Dutch level agenda setting / taking initiative
• EU level agenda following
• WSIS in Geneva participating in discussions,
  EU-meetings and working groups, focussing on
  ICT4D-issues and input

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Outcome of WSIS

• Tripartite summit all stakeholders involved
• Satisfactory Declaration, weak Plan of Action
• Remaining issues finance and governance
• West lt-gt South
• Process more relevant than outcome

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Hivos dilemma's

• Independence lt-gt influence risk of cooptation
• Civil Society participation in UN-summits not
  one actor
• Accountability how to represent our constituency
  as a player in Dutch (European) environment

7
WSIS II Tunis phase

• Hivos chosen path
• Stay a member of the Dutch delegation
• Improve accountability to our partners
• Stick to Declaration and Plan of Action, but make
  them work

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www.hivos.nl