To the outgoing and incoming Executive Committees of the ICDPPC
Hong Kong – Ahead of the 2017 International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (ICDPPC) held in Hong Kong between September 25 to 29, a group of more than 30 civil society organisations sent a letter to the organisers and data protection authorities calling for greater inclusion of NGOs in the event.
We acknowledge the positive steps forward, taken during the Hong Kong conference, in particular by lifting the participation fee for several civil society groups. As a result, this year’s conference has already acknowledged the value of civil society participation and active dialogue with data protection authorities.
Despite these improvements, civil society continues to be kept at the periphery of the event, absent from the programming committee and underrepresented at public sessions. To that effect we call on the Executive Committee to:
- Include civil society in the Programme Committee to guarantee civil society representation in developing the agenda
- Promote diversity and inclusion through public consultations
- Restore space and visibility for civil society speakers at the sessions. This includes the restoration of the full day joint civil society-DPA event in the official programme and ensuring a civil society representative is included when non-members of the ICDPPC are part of the deliberations which lead to the official outcomes
- Enhance civil society participation and meaningful dialogue by removing the access fee and providing travel support for civil society representatives
- Increase transparency of the event sessions and deliberations through remote participation and publication of draft resolutions
We look forward to cooperation with the incoming Secretariat, Executive Committee and hosts of the upcoming Conference in 2018.
Signatories:
Access Now, International
Article 19, International
Asociación por los Derechos Civiles (ADC), Argentina
Bits of Freedom, The Netherlands
Bytes for All, Pakistan
Derechos Digitales, Chile
Digital Rights Foundation, Pakistan
EPIC, USA
Frënn vun der Ënn, Luxembourg
Fundación Datos Protegidos, Chile
Global Partners Digital, International
ICT Watch, Indonesia
Internet Freedom Foundation, India
IT-Political Association of Denmark
KICTANet, Kenya
Open Rights Group, United Kingdom
Privacy International
SFLC.in
SonTusDatos, Mexico