[registrars] Terms of Reference for GNSO review
Hello All, The ICANN bylaws require all ICANN's supporting organisations to be reviewed every 3 years. The GNSO Council was reviewed last year, and now the supporting organisation as a whole is being reviewed (which incudes the practices of each of the constituencies of the GNSO). The review will be conducted early next year, but the terms of reference are being drafted now. Please review the attached document produced by Dr Liz Williams based on discussions with members of the ICANN community and let me know if you have any comments/suggestions. The document will be discussed on a GNSO Council teleconference later this week. Below is a summary of a scope proposed by Liz based on discussions with members of the ICANN community. Regards, Bruce Tonkin Registrars rep on GNSO Council 1. Representativeness - within the GNSO as a whole, within the Council and within the constituencies. Analysis in this area should include: o whether the constituencies, on a global basis, represent the stakeholders they claim to represent; whether the constituencies operate in an open and transparent manner; whether constituencies are open to individuals or corporations who wishes to participate; whether the membership procedures are open and transparent and whether the current constituencies best reflect global representation of a diversity of stakeholder positions o whether additional constituencies would capture input from stakeholders in the development of policies that are not currently represented o whether there are any barriers to the participation of all who are willing to contribute to the work of the GNSO o whether the ICANN community is satisfied with the policy advice it receives from the GNSO and if that advice could be improved in any way o whether there is sufficient time and opportunity for advice and information from the GNSO constituencies o whether other supporting organisations and advisory committees such as the At Large Advisory Committee and the Government Advisory Committee have effective opportunities to participate in the policy development process 2. Authority - of the GNSO Council to manage the bottom-up policy process. Analysis in this area should include: o whether the GNSO Council manages the policy development process in a timely and efficient manner; whether the Council manages effectively open forums, mailing lists and public comment opportunities o whether the GNSO Council By Laws need amending in any way o whether the Council has successfully implemented the recommendations of the GNSO Council review Authority - of constituencies to develop consensus policy positions. Analysis in this area should include: o examination of whether there is fairness, to the maximum extent possible, within the constituencies o whether weighted voting patterns skew policy outcomes o work on whether the existing constituency structure could be rationalized; whether new constituencies should be formed; whether outreach to increase participation in the existing structure takes place o examination of the appropriateness and effectiveness of the relationship between ICANN staff and the GNSO constituencies 3. Effectiveness - of the GNSO constituencies to conduct the policy development process and the GNSO Council to manage that process. Analysis in this area should include: o examination of the time and resources taken by both Council and the Constituencies to develop policy positions o examination of the benefit to all affected parties of the use of ICANN time and resources in developing policy positions o examination is required of the existing PDP process and should include whether the PDP process needs to be amended to reflect new participants, different kinds of issues, more realistic timeframes for workflow and interaction with other ICANN entities and different ways of communicating policy positions o analysis is required about whether ICANN is satisfied with the advice it receives from the constituencies to ensure that advice reflects best practice and the widest possible consultation with affected parties including other ICANN supporting organisations and advisory committees 2. Transparency - of operations of each GNSO constituency and of the GNSO Council. Analysis in this area should include: o whether decisions are made by applying documented policies neutrally and objectively; whether those entities which are affected by decisions have adequate mechanisms for participation o whether policy decisions are made in a way which demonstrates that participants are accountable to the Internet community and whether statements of interest are explicitly made on each policy development program o whether the GNSO's website and the constituencies websites operate effectively as tools for transmitting a wide variety of procedural and substantive information on the policy development process. Attachment:
GNSOReviewCouncilStaff25Aug.doc
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