Community and Partners
International Partnerships
The Internet Society is widely recognized as a trusted partner of various important organisations. ISOC enjoys strong, informal working relationships with many regional and international networks and organisations. Often this means collaborating on specific events (such as the "Internet Pavilion" at WSIS in Tunis, where ISOC worked with the IETF, NRO, ICANN, CENTR, LINX, and AfrISPA to represent the needs and views of the technical community).
ISOC also enters into partnerships that convey formal recognition and status, as detailed below:
United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC)
ISOC Status: ISOC applied for consultative status in May 2007.
ECOSOC is the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to Member States and the United Nations system. ECOSOC is responsible for promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress; identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. NGOs that are formally recognized with consultative status are entitled to accreditation which allows them to participate in relevant United Nations conferences and preparatory meetings. Read more about ECOSOC...
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
ISOC Status: ISOC is an ITU-D and ITU-T sector member.
The ITU was established in 1865 as an international organisation within which governments and the private sector should work together to coordinate the operation of telecommunication networks and services and advance the development of communications technology. The ITU comprises three sectors: Radiocommunication (ITU-R), Telecommunication Standardization (ITU-T), and Telecommunication Development (ITU-D). Sector members can participate in certain ITU activities such as conferences or assemblies, study groups, working parties and expert groups, seminars, round tables, colloquia, and workshops. They can present their views at the preparatory stage of decisions and all throughout the consensus building process, which leads to the production of the Recommendations, Resolutions, or other policy guidelines. Read more about the ITU...
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
ISOC Status: ISOC is officially recognized as "an NGO in operational relations with UNESCO" and is part of UNESCO's Communication and New Technologies Joint Program Commission.
UNESCO works in the fields of Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication, and Information. Its Communication and Information programs stem from UNESCO’s Constitution, which requires the Organisation to promote the “free flow of ideas by word and image”. The main objective for UNESCO is to build a knowledge society based on the sharing of knowledge and incorporating all the socio-cultural and ethical dimensions of sustainable development. UNESCO’s priorities in the field of Communication and Information are:
- Empowering people through access to information and knowledge with special emphasis on freedom of expression
- Promoting communication development
- Advancing the use of ICTs for education, science and culture.
Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID)
Status: Lynn St.Amour (ISOC President/CEO) is member of the Strategy Council of GAID.
GAID was launched by the UN to contribute to transforming the spirit and vision of WSIS into action promoting the use of ICT for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. GAID's purpose is to provide multi-stakeholder input to intergovernmental bodies, including ECOSOC. The Strategy Council comprises 60 members representing governments and non-governmental stakeholders, such as civil society, the private sector, international organisations, media, academia, youth and women's groups, and others. The Strategy Council provides overall strategic guidance to GAID, in particular by identifying priorities and themes to be addressed. Read more about GAID...
Organisation for Economic and Cooperation Development (OECD)
Status: ISOC is an "invited Expert" to the OECD’s Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP); ISOC will participate in the next OECD Ministerial Conference in June 2008 (Korea), as a representative of the technical community.
The OECD is comprised of 30 member states with a shared commitment to democratic government and the market economy. The OECD has global reach through its relationships with some 70 other countries and economies, NGOs, and civil society. Best known for its publications and statistics, its work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics, trade, education, development, sciences and innovation. ISOC has a special interest in the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) dealing with issues arising from the digital economy. Read more about the OECD...
