The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the first part of which will be held in Geneva from 10 to 12 December this year, tries to involve governments, the private sector and the civil society in its process. Intergovernmental organizations and various UN Agencies are also part of the WSIS, with the International Telecommunications Union being the organizer of the whole event. But so far, the absence of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has been remarkable.

43 International non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have signed an open letter to Mr Bertrand Ramcharan, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for his active participation. The initiative is also endorsed by EDRI.

The participation of the Human Rights Commissioner to the preparatory meetings and the World Summit itself would help to ensure that human rights language in the WSIS process is comprehensive, strong and consistent with resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights. The development of an information and communication society has to build on a core set of principles that are fundamental for democratic societies. International human rights standards represent such principles and should serve as the international framework guiding regional and national policies and actions.

A copy has been sent by email to Mr Adama Samassekou, President of the WSIS Preparatory Process, and to Mr Pierre Gagné, Director of the WSIS Executive Secretariat.

This letter is a joint initiative from the World Federalist Movement and the WSIS Human Rights in the Information Society Caucus, a group of 22 NGOs.

The letter with the list of signatures is available on the Human Rights Caucus web site
http://www.iris.sgdg.org/actions/smsi/hr-wsis

Draft action plan and declaration of principles (05.06.2003)
http://www.itu.int/wsis/documents/doc_multi.asp?lang=en&id=624%7C6...

Official website of organisers of the World Summit
http://www.itu.int/wsis/

(Contribution by Meryem Marzouki, IRIS and co-coordinator of the WSIS Human Rights in the Information Society Caucus)