It is obvious that the discourse around content regulation has shifted mostly towards the protection of children from harmful content and child pornography on the internet. Any references to gender-related concerns were dropped, including even problematic conceptions that women and children need the paternalistic protection of the state or international bodies from harmful content. One can speculate that this could possibly mean (in a positive sense) that women are no longer viewed only as “victims” and because of their own agency do not require the protectionist attitude of the state. Or, on the other hand, women’s movements, feminists and others working on gender have encountered and realised the hazards of demanding protection from the state, in the interests of their own freedom of expression and because of their alliances with civil society, non-governmental organisations and social movements.

The first preparatory meeting for the next Internet Governance Forum (scheduled for December 2008 in India) was held in Geneva on 26 February 2008. APC issued a statement recommending the implementation of regional and national IGFs, using sustainable development as a key theme and advising on the format of working groups to address and follow up on key issues.

This report touches on issues such as the human rights and ‘north-south’ agendas, as well as the preparation by civil society in the WSIS process up to 2004. It includes brief observations, suggested discussion points and strategies needed to protect and strengthen civil society participation in the WSIS process.