Non-Profits, Adverse Legislation, and the Internet Ecosystem
NPOC Colleagues, I think I am only a member of NCSG but my NPOC-Discuss list membership remains so I am taking this opportunity to comment on a serious current issue for the non-profit constituency, especially in South Asia and in Africa. India has, and Zimbabwe is about to, pass national legislation that seriously restricts non-profits in those countries in (a) collaboration across borders, and (b) receiving financial and material assistance from sources outside the country. For a couple of decades I managed the (pre-social media) listserv for the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR). We watched, as the Internet allowed greater collaboration between ngos, and their sources of funding. At the same time there were moves on the part of national governments to stifle the voice of ngo's in dealing with domestic issues, issues ranging from human rights to Internet access. The actual restrictive legislation can vary from the extreme (revoking the ngo's legal status) to forcing limited registration (as a foreign agent) because of foreign material support, including counting a foreign supported website. These repressive measures have grown In response to the growth of the Internet ecosystem as an important means of social engagement and multistakeholder collaboration. Zimbabwe is the latest government to move on legislation to restrict ngo participation in civil space. This strikes at the heart of human rights and the Internet ecosystem. If NPOC wants to get engaged on this front it could complement its efforts to get ngos' engaged with ICANN with efforts to protect at least the engagement of ngos in the exercise of human rights in the Internet ecosystem. Sam Lanfranco (NCSG Representative for SASA (Society for the Advancement of Science in Africa) )
Thanks for the insights Prof Lanfranco. I know that ISOC and the ISOC Foundation has challenges in sponsorship to their chapters and grantees due to these restrictions and it causes alot of trouble also for Schools of Internet Governance. perhaps its why so many schools fail to garner much financial support. g Glenn McKnight, MA Virtual School of Internet Governance Chief Information Officer www.virtualsig.org *YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERNET GOVERNANCE EDUCATION * *Mobile 437-237-4655* <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_camp...> Virus-free.www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_camp...> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> On Wed, 10 May 2023 at 10:14, Sam Lanfranco via Npoc-discuss < npoc-discuss@icann.org> wrote:
NPOC Colleagues,
I think I am only a member of NCSG but my NPOC-Discuss list membership remains so I am taking this opportunity to comment on a serious current issue for the non-profit constituency, especially in South Asia and in Africa. India has, and Zimbabwe is about to, pass national legislation that seriously restricts non-profits in those countries in (a) collaboration across borders, and (b) receiving financial and material assistance from sources outside the country.
For a couple of decades I managed the (pre-social media) listserv for the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR). We watched, as the Internet allowed greater collaboration between ngos, and their sources of funding. At the same time there were moves on the part of national governments to stifle the voice of ngo’s in dealing with domestic issues, issues ranging from human rights to Internet access.
The actual restrictive legislation can vary from the extreme (revoking the ngo’s legal status) to forcing limited registration (as a foreign agent) because of foreign material support, including counting a foreign supported website. These repressive measures have grown In response to the growth of the Internet ecosystem as an important means of social engagement and multistakeholder collaboration. Zimbabwe is the latest government to move on legislation to restrict ngo participation in civil space. This strikes at the heart of human rights and the Internet ecosystem.
If NPOC wants to get engaged on this front it could complement its efforts to get ngos’ engaged with ICANN with efforts to protect at least the engagement of ngos in the exercise of human rights in the Internet ecosystem.
Sam Lanfranco (NCSG Representative for SASA (Society for the Advancement of Science in Africa) )
_______________________________________________ Npoc-discuss mailing list Npoc-discuss@icann.org https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/npoc-discuss _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
Thanks Uncle Sam This is very helpful. First is that it's worth activating our NPOC advocacy line by galvanising other continental bodies like ACSIS - African Civil Society on the Information Society. 2. Identity if the plan had gone beyond first and second readings. 3. Initiate a petition to be endorsed by interesting NPOC Members and collaborator. 4. This may mean reworking this your head up. 5. Media engagement and availability of the petition to the media or ictmedia specifically. These were few items I can recall that Nigerian NGOs leveraged when such ugly posture was happening in Nigeria. Thanks again On Wed, 10 May 2023, 15:14 Sam Lanfranco via Npoc-discuss, < npoc-discuss@icann.org> wrote:
NPOC Colleagues,
I think I am only a member of NCSG but my NPOC-Discuss list membership remains so I am taking this opportunity to comment on a serious current issue for the non-profit constituency, especially in South Asia and in Africa. India has, and Zimbabwe is about to, pass national legislation that seriously restricts non-profits in those countries in (a) collaboration across borders, and (b) receiving financial and material assistance from sources outside the country.
For a couple of decades I managed the (pre-social media) listserv for the International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR). We watched, as the Internet allowed greater collaboration between ngos, and their sources of funding. At the same time there were moves on the part of national governments to stifle the voice of ngo’s in dealing with domestic issues, issues ranging from human rights to Internet access.
The actual restrictive legislation can vary from the extreme (revoking the ngo’s legal status) to forcing limited registration (as a foreign agent) because of foreign material support, including counting a foreign supported website. These repressive measures have grown In response to the growth of the Internet ecosystem as an important means of social engagement and multistakeholder collaboration. Zimbabwe is the latest government to move on legislation to restrict ngo participation in civil space. This strikes at the heart of human rights and the Internet ecosystem.
If NPOC wants to get engaged on this front it could complement its efforts to get ngos’ engaged with ICANN with efforts to protect at least the engagement of ngos in the exercise of human rights in the Internet ecosystem.
Sam Lanfranco (NCSG Representative for SASA (Society for the Advancement of Science in Africa) )
_______________________________________________ Npoc-discuss mailing list Npoc-discuss@icann.org https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/npoc-discuss _______________________________________________ By submitting your personal data, you consent to the processing of your personal data for purposes of subscribing to this mailing list accordance with the ICANN Privacy Policy (https://www.icann.org/privacy/policy) and the website Terms of Service (https://www.icann.org/privacy/tos). You can visit the Mailman link above to change your membership status or configuration, including unsubscribing, setting digest-style delivery or disabling delivery altogether (e.g., for a vacation), and so on.
participants (3)
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Glenn McKnight -
Remmy Nweke -
Sam Lanfranco