As a “new gTLD applicant” who has participated in most ICANN meetings for the past 6 years, it remains a concern of ours that ICANN maintains a path of selecting meeting locations in countries with less than reputable human rights records, which includes their records on gay rights. We believe it is important to begin a discussion on this issue as the topic of human rights is elevated within the corporate and social responsibility at ICANN.
Since ICANN is an organization built on openness, under a multi-stakeholder model that thrives on public participation, now is the relevant time for ICANN to begin thinking about how its site selection for meetings impacts freedom of speech & association, public safety and public perception of the organization’s commitment to the human rights issue. By not reviewing site selection related issues, the larger discussion on human rights would certainly be perceived as lip service to many, especially from the gay community.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has also recognized this concern and recently implemented mandates that would prevent future host cities from winning bids if their human rights records and policies (including gay rights) were sub-par. The gay community has welcomed this pro-active approach by the IOC following the Sochi Olympics to guarantee their future participation and safety, and this is a standard that we believe an international organization like ICANN could take lesson from.
We welcome comment from the group on how to add this point to the ongoing work on corporate and social responsibility at ICANN.
Cheers
Jamie
Jamie Baxter
VP of Marketing
dotgay LLC
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