The Internet has grown and matured and it therefore prudent to believe that it is time for a greater internationalization of the management of the Internet.
The Gender Caucus are careful to note that the security and stability of the Internet are of paramount importance, and should be considered carefully in any future governance arrangement, as well as the core principles of freedom of speech, multistakeholder participation, and equal representation of men and women in any governance arrangement.
Having said this, the Gender Caucus proposed for a Forum to be constituted with full multistakeholder participation, and with the equal participation of men and women. The stakeholders in this Forum should interact as peers.
The organizational structure and methods of the Forum must consider the limitations of developing countries and disadvantaged populations, and the forum must work to create mechanisms that will allow and encourage these to participate.
This may include face to face meetings, and remote consultations using ICTs, among others.
The Forum needs to have decision making structures and processes, and to be able to provide practical recommendations.
The gender caucus believe that there are there are currently existing fora and mechanisms by which governments can negotiate these instruments, and we see no reason to create another structure."
The proposed functions of the forum would be to provide a space for dialogue on Internet Governance policy issues for all stakeholders.
To research, discuss and make recommendations on public policy Internet Governance issues and gather, disseminate best practices in governance mechanisms.
To assist in capacity building for developing countries and disadvantaged populations as well as to analyse and assess existing governance arrangements to ensure that vital issues do not “fall through the cracks” between existing organizations
To enhance cooperation among existing governance organizations on matters under their purview which relate to Internet Governance
Address issues that are not being dealt with elsewhere and make proposals for action, as appropriate; with regard to the logical infrastructure of the Internet Corporation of assigned names and numbers and teh internet assigned numbers authority (ICANN and IANA) we do not believe that an intergovernmental oversight body is needed for domain names and IP addresses.
They gender caucus would like the United States Government to commit to realising it's perminent role to transfer the IANA function to ICANN in a fair and transparent manner.
ICANN needs to ensure that its processes and structures are truly fair, transparent and multistakeholder and must commit to implementing projects and programmes to build capacity in developing countries and especially female populations to ensure that these are able to participate fully in the decision-making at all levels of the organization. ICANN should also commit to equal participation of men and women at all levels of decision making.
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