[gnso-ppsc-wg] Your feedback requested - section 6.1.3 Purpose, Importance, and Expectations of the Chair

[Marika Konings <marika.konings@xxxxxxxxx>]

6.1.3    Purpose, Importance, and Expectations of the Chair

While open Working Groups may offer many benefits in terms of broad 
participation and support, it is equally important that inclusiveness does not 
compromise effectiveness. An experienced Chair with strong leadership and 
facilitation skills will be a key ingredient of a successful outcome. He or she 
should be able to distinguish between participants who offer genuine reasons 
for dissent and those who raise issues in an effort to block progress. The 
Chair should have the authority to enforce agreed upon rules applicable to 
anyone trying to disrupt discussions and be able to exclude individuals in 
certain cases, provided an avenue of appeal is available. In addition, the 
Chair should be able to ensure that anyone joining a Working Group after it has 
begun has reviewed all documents and mailing list postings and agrees not to 
reopen previously decided questions. However, if there is support from the 
Chair to reopen an issue in light of new information that is provided either by 
a new member or an existing member of the Working Group, this should be 
possible.

The Chair is expected to assume a neutral role, refrain from promoting a 
specific agenda, and ensure fair treatment of all opinions and objectivity in 
identifying areas of agreement. This does not mean that a Chair experienced in 
the subject manner cannot express an opinion, but he or she should be explicit 
about the fact that a personal opinion or view is being stated, instead of a 
‘ruling of the chair’. However, a Chair should not become an advocate for any 
specific position. The appointment of co-chairs could be considered and is 
encouraged as a way to share the burden, provide continuity in case of absence 
of the Chair as well as allowing group leaders to rotate their participation in 
the discussion.

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Comments:

CG: The third sentence of the second paragraph says, “a Chair should not become 
an advocate for any specific position.” Ideally this would be nice but 
oftentimes those who serve as chairs need to serve as representatives of their 
SG or constituency as well. It doesn’t seem wise to exclude this possibility if 
it is unavoidable. It should be made clear though that in such cases, the chair 
should identify times when she/he is not functioning as chair, i.e, when she/he 
is speaking in a personal capacity or as a representative of her/his group.

 MO: Replace this sentence

“However, a Chair should not become an advocate for any specific position.”

With:

“However, a Chair should not become an advocate for any specific position and 
should not participate in working-group polling or voting.”