PRESS STATEMENT: CS Content and Themes Coordinators

WSIS Prepcom, Hammamet: World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis Phase, Preparatory Committee 1 Statement prepared by the coordinators of the WSIS Civil Society Content and Themes Group.

PRESS STATEMENT - Hammamet, 26 June 2004

Civil society organisations gathered in Hammamet, Tunisia for the first preparatory committee of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society insisted that the second phase of the Summit maintain commitment to human rights principles and sustainable development priorities.

Mme. Souhayr Belhassen, Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights and Vice-President of the Tunisian League for Human Rights, speaking on human rights, said:

“At a time where the foundations of international human rights law are being challenged by newly adopted laws and measures, everywhere in the world, in the name of a fight against terrorism, it was important that the Declaration of principles adopted in Geneva in 2003 makes reference to the fundamental principles of universality and indivisibility of all human rights, to the right to development, and specially reaffirms the necessary respect of the integrality of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on freedom of expression, of information and of communication.” Renata Bloem, President of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in consultative relationship with the United Nations (CONGO) said:

“We wish to thank the President of the Preparatory Committee, and we acknowledge the Tunisian Governments role in ensuring that Mme Souhayr Belhassen was able to take the floor in the inter-governmental plenary despite challenges to her right to speak on behalf of civil society.”

Civil society organisations working in Hammamet have faced serious obstacles and challenges to established modes of operation which, in the previous phase in Geneva, have been productive in developing consensus and effective civil society input to the inter-governmental process. In the light of these difficulties, civil society will be reviewing its practices and procedures in order to ensure that the diversity of opinions and perspectives that we represent can continue to be freely expressed.

The role of civil society is not simply one of assisting with implementation but also observation, monitoring and holding governments to account. During the second phase of the summit we will continue to provide a constructive but critical input to the process.

In order to improve the conditions in which we can best contribute we call upon the WSIS Preparatory Committee to provide additional time and space for civil society input to the process including mechanisms for effective and substantive dialogue with governments. We also seek the removal of barriers to participation for civil society organizations that are constituted but have been refused registration by the appropriate authorities in their country of operation.

Despite serious difficulties we have faced we consider the outcomes of the Preparatory Committee in Tunisia to be an important step forward in facing the complex challenges of the information society.

-ends-

Further information:

Steve Buckley, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC)
Tel: +44 7801 945037
Karen Banks, Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
Tel: +44 7712 553582
Coordinators of the WSIS Civil Society Content and Themes Group

Comments