4.2 Supporting internet governance and policy: Experiences in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) PRESENTATION BY TAMBUDZAI MADZIMURE Freedom of Expression Programme Development Manager Hivos in Southern Africa Hivos is an international organisation that seeks new solutions to persistent global issues. It cooperates with innovative businesses, citizens and their organisations and shares with them a dream of sustainable economies and inclusive societies. • HIVOS has a long history of involvement with Internet governance issues beginning with its participation in the preparatory meetings for the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) around 2000/1 as well as the WSIS Geneva 2003 and Tunis 2005. As a member of Working Groups on Internet Governance, HIVOS recognises that while the term “governance” is normally associated with governments, under IG this is broadly used to include participation and influence of other players beyond governments. HIVOS’ support on internet governance is therefore premised on the fact that citizens have a critical role to play. • granted in response to a call to support citizens in their quest for freedom of expression and freedom of information. • Through the HIVOS programme in the region, citizens became active stakeholders in matters of internet governance policy as opposed to being passive receivers of policy matters. • Actors engaging in the IG MENA programme include bloggers, journalists, students, public sector employees and the private sector contrary to the perception by some stakeholders that HIVOS only supports civil society. Some of the areas supported by HIVOS under the IG programme in the MENA region include knowledge building; capacity building of stakeholders through online and onsite activities; empowering stakeholders to engage with policy development, legislation, awareness and multi-stakeholder involvement and participation. • Through the HIVOS programme citizens are now active stakeholders as opposed to being passive observers in matters related to Internet Governance Policy. However, a vacuum still exists in the policy environment: Some laws are still vague and ambiguous thereby posing a threat to freedom of expression and freedom of information. • HIVOS’ support to Internet governance in the MENA region was initiated as a result of the popular uprisings of 2011 in the Middle East. Support was INTERNET GOVERNANCE MULTISTAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE REPORT 2015 028 www.misazim.com @misazimbabwe MISA Zimbabwe