[rpd] Policy Proposal: PDP Working Group (WG) Guidelines and Procedures

[Noah]

Hi PDWG Co-chair,

Please refer to my previous email and support to publish the policy
proposal as per subject and proposal content.

Cheers,
*./noah*
neo - network engineering and operations


On Tue, Jul 21, 2020 at 11:12 PM Noah <noah at neo.co.tz> wrote:


> *Policy Proposal: PDP Working Group (WG) Guidelines and Procedures*

>

> Summary of the problem being addressed by this proposal

>

> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> The current PDP uses a working group for policy development activities. It

> does not define specific procedures and operational rules for the working

> group. This has over the time led to interpretation issues in regards to

> how the working group is administered and how discussions are moderated.

>

> Summary of how this proposal addresses the problem

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> The proposal addresses the problems by defining clear and explicit Working

> Group guidelines and procedures.

>

> Policies  the proposal amends/obsoletes

> ------------------------------------------------------

>

> The proposal amends the Policy Development Process, section 3.0 of the

> AFRINIC CPM.

>

> Proposal

> -------------

>

> 1.0 Introduction

>

> The Policy Development working group (PDWG) provides an open public forum

> to discuss Internet number resources policies and related topics of

> interest to AFRINIC and the Internet community in the AFRINIC service

> region.

>

> PDWG sessions are held at AFRINIC Public policy meetings. Between

> meetings, discussions continue through the Resource Policy discussions

> mailing list. The PDWG is open to all interested individuals.

>

> This document serves as guidelines on how the working group shall operate.

> It defines clear roles and responsibilities for the PDWG co-chairs and

> clear procedures for the working group’s administration.

>

> 2.0 Co-chairs

>

> Two PDWG co-chairs primarily administer the Policy Development working

> group. The PDWG co-chairs perform a vital role in managing the working

> group. The effectiveness of the PDWG is dependent on the active

> participation of the co-chairs. PDWG co-chairs undertake their role on a

> volunteer basis.

>

> The co-chairs coordinate the activities of the policy development’s

> working group and are expected to attend all AFRINIC Public Policy

> Meetings. They must remain subscribed to the AFRINIC Policy Discussion

> mailing list for the duration of their term and must also be subscribed to

> the AFRINIC member-discuss mailing list during their term.

>

> For each policy proposal, one co-chair must be assigned as the primary

> contact; both co-chairs however shall actively participate in the consensus

> building. The leading co-chair for the proposal as described above shall

> guide the policy proposal through the different phases of the PDP.

>

> 2.1 Responsibilities of PDWG co-chairs

>

> The co-chairs’ responsibility encompasses at least the following:

>

> ·      Ensure working group process and content management

>

> The co-chairs have ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the working

> group achieves forward progress .The co-chairs are also responsible to

> ensure that the working group operates in an open and fair manner.

>

> ·      Moderate the Resource Policy Discussion mailing list

>

> The co-chairs should attempt to ensure that the discussions on the list

> are relevant and that they converge to consensus agreements.  The co-chairs

> should make sure that discussions on the list are summarized and that the

> outcome is well documented to avoid repetition and other abuses.

>

> ·      Organize, prepare and chair the face-to-face and on-line formal

> working group meetings

>

> The responsibilities of the co-chairs are listed below:

>

> 2.1.1 Before an AFRINIC Public Policy Meeting

>

> -  Assist authors with formatting proposal

>

> -  Introduce policy proposals to the policy discussion mailing list

>

> -  Discourage any behavior that jeopardizes open participation to policy

> discussions, especially for newcomers.

>

> -   Monitor and moderate discussions held on AFRINIC policy discussion

> mailing list

>

> -  Announce the call for presentation of policy proposals for Public

> Policy Meetings on the policy discussion mailing list

>

> -  Read presentation's slides to familiarise themselves with the details

> and ensure they match proposals ‘text. In case of any difference,

> submission of an updated version of the proposal on the mailing list to

> notify the working group is required, even if these changes will not be

> considered.

>

> -  Create agenda presentation slides for the meeting with AFRINIC staff.

>

> -  Guide the consensus building process; announce the current status of a

> policy proposal.

>

> -  Read AFRINIC Public Policy Meeting minutes and makes corrections as

> necessary

>

> -  Present the policy discussion working group report to the AFRINIC

> Public Policy Meeting.

>

> 2.1.2 During a Public Policy Meeting

>

> -  Chair the Public Policy meeting and moderate the discussions.

>

> -  Determine whether proposals gained enough support to move to the next

> phase.

>

> -  Monitor remote chat-room discussions during the AFRINIC Public Policy

> Meeting

>

> -  Present the policy discussion working group report to the AFRINIC

> Public Policy Meeting.

>

> 2.1.3 After a Public Policy Meeting

>

> - Send a report of the Public Policy Meeting to the community and policy

> discussion mailing lists including policy proposal discussion outcomes and

> open action items.

>

> -  Monitor and moderate discussions during the last-call phase period.

>

> -   Summarise discussions, and following the end of the last-call, post

> the decision regarding whether the proposal has reached consensus or not.

>

> -  Submit policy proposal ratification report to the AFRINIC board of

> directors.

>

> 2.2. Appointment of PDWG co-chairs

>

> The working group appoints two co-chairs for a two-years term. Co-chairs’

> appointments occur in alternate years for each seat (seat1 and seat2).

>

> The working group makes decisions by consensus and shall also appoint

> co-chairs by consensus. Elections should be used as a last resort solution.

>

> The appointment for each seat follows the following process:

>

> At least 60 days before the Public Policy Meeting, AFRINIC staff sends a

> call for nominations to the policy development mailing list. The call will

> contain:

>

> - Details of the co-chair position to be filled (seat1 or seat2)

>

> - Details of the duties of the position.

>

> - The closing date for nominations; 30 days from the date of the call.

>

> Any natural person residing in a country from the AFRINIC service region

> is allowed to volunteer.

>

> Volunteers make themselves known by introducing themselves (short

> biography and motivation) as a candidate on the working group mailing list.

>

> Candidates for the co-chair’s position should be known as active

> participants on the working group mailing list with good experience with

> the AFRINIC policy development process, and must have attended at least two

> (2) AFRINIC Public Policy Meetings of which one must be in person, during

> the last 3 years.

>

> If at least one nomination is received by closing date, the appointment

> process starts. The appointment must be held at the upcoming Public Policy

> Meeting as the first item on the agenda. Those present at the session,

> either in person or remotely, will determine by consensus among the

> candidates who shall take the available position. The remaining chair will

> determine whether consensus has been reached. If the working group finds

> itself without a co-chair, the chair of the AFRINIC Board of Directors will

> lead the consensus process.

>

> If only one candidate is being evaluated, the lack of consensus must

> declare the seat vacant. The chair of AFRINIC board of directors shall

> appoint interim co-chair. The Interim co-chair will act up to the

> appointment of the new co-chair.

>

> If no consensus can be reached and more than one candidate is being

> evaluated, then a secret ballot to elect the new co-chair will be held.

> Everyone physically present at the session can participate in the secret

> ballot. Votes and counting shall be conducted using a ranked preferential

> voting method otherwise known as IRV. The winner of the secret ballot will

> become the new co-chair.

>

> In the unlikely event that after all the rounds of counting of the vote,

> there is a tie between the two (2) most ranked candidates, they shall be

> asked to select one among them to serve the term by consensus. The seat

> shall be declared vacant in case of failure of agreement between the last

> two.

>

> If the secret ballot cannot be held, the seat is declared vacant. The

> chair of AFRINIC board of directors shall appoint interim co-chairs(s). The

> Interim co-chair(s) will act up to the appointment of the new co-chair(s).

>

> Exit of co-chair includes a handover period and an expectation that the

> sitting chair follows proposals, which have already reached consensus, to

> the completion of their PDP cycle.

>

> 2.3. Recalling a co-chair

>

> If the co-chair does not attend two consecutive AFRINIC Public Policy

> Meetings without reasons or has been publicly reported by the other

> co-chair as no longer attending to the working group’s affairs without

> reasons, the co-chair will be removed from its role.

>

> Anyone may request the recall of a working group co-chair at any time,

> upon a written request with justification to the AFRINIC Board of

> Directors. The request must be supported by at least ten (10) other persons.

>

> The AFRINIC Board of Directors shall appoint a recall committee, excluding

> the persons requesting the recall and the co-chair. The recall committee

> shall investigate the circumstances of the request for the recall and

> determine the outcome in not more than 4 weeks after the recall is

> recorded. The recall committee report shall be published on the working

> group mailing list.

>

> The recall committee decision shall be final and binding.

>

> Whenever a co-chair is removed from its role and recalled, the remaining

> co-chair will assume the chairing role of the working group until the

> appointment of a new co-chair(s).

>

> 2.4. Resignation of co-chair

>

> If a  co-chair resigns, the remaining co-chair will assume the chairing

> role of the working group until the appointment of a new co-chair(s).

>

> If both co-chairs resign, the chair of the AFRINIC board of directors

> shall as a matter of urgency lead the appointment by the working group of

> an interim co-chair(s) via the mailing list or at the Public Policy

> meeting. If no consensus can be reached, the chair of the Board of

> directors shall appoint interim Co-chairs(s) for the working group.

>

>  The Interim chair will act up to the appointment of the new co-chair(s).

>

> 3.0 Operations working group (PDWG)

>

> 3.1 Moderation of working group discussions and sessions

>

> The challenge of managing the policy development working group sessions is

> to balance the need for open and fair consideration of the issues against

> the need to make forward progress. The working group, as a whole, has the

> final responsibility for striking this balance. The working group co-chairs

> have the responsibility for overseeing the process.

>

> To facilitate making forward progress, the working group co-chairs may

> wish to decide to reject or defer the input from an individual, based upon

> the following criteria:

>

> Old:

> The input pertains to a topic that already has been resolved and is

> redundant with information previously available;

>

> Minor:

> The input is new and pertains to a topic that has already been resolved,

> but it is felt to be of minor import to the existing decision;

>

> Timing:

> The input pertains to a topic that the working group has not yet opened

> for discussion;

>

> Scope:

> The input is outside the scope of the  discussions or of the working group

>

> 3.2 Individual behaviors

>

> Occasionally one or more individuals may engage in behavior on a mailing

> list that, in the opinion of the working group co-chairs, is disruptive to

> the working group’s progress or goes against applicable Codes of Conduct.

>

> Unless the disruptive behavior is severe enough that it must be stopped

> immediately, the co-chairs should attempt to discourage the disruptive

> behavior by communicating directly with the offending individual. If the

> behavior persists, the co-chairs should send at least one public warning on

> the mailing list. The warning should clearly expose what is being cautioned

> on the individual and the basis of co-chairs judgment.

>

> As last resort, and typically after one or more explicit warnings, and if

> the behavior persists, the working group co-chairs may suspend the mailing

> list posting privileges of the disruptive individual for a period of not

> more than 30 days. The application of this restriction must be gradual. If

> the individual resumes with the same behavior or worse, the restriction

> period may increase.

>

> Even while posting privileges are suspended, the individual must not be

> prevented from receiving messages posted to the list.

>

> Other Mailing list control solutions may be considered. The working group

> must have adopted these solutions.

>

> Like all other working group’s co-chairs' decisions, any suspension of

> posting privileges is subject to appeal.

>

> 3.3. Public Policy Meeting

>

> A Public Policy Meeting (PPM) is a meeting open to the community wherein

> proposals for policies are discussed within the framework of the Policy

> Development Process (PDP). The AFRINIC board of Directors calls PPMs in

> accordance with section 11.2 of the Bylaws.

>

> If one co-chair can’t participate in a Public Policy Meeting, the second

> co-chair shall chair the meeting.

>

> If both co-chairs can’t participate in a meeting, the working group shall

> appoint one (1) person temporarily to lead the session. If the working

> group cannot appoint a temporary chair, the chair of AFRINIC board of

> directors shall appoint a temporary chair. If the board chair fails to

> appoint a temporary chair, the meeting shall be adjourned.

>

> The temporary chair appointed above shall lead the discussions according

> to the agenda, but can’t determine consensus on policy proposals. He will

> provide meeting minutes to the mailing list and allow the co-chairs to take

> over.

>

> While open discussion and contribution is essential to working Group

> working group success, co-chairs are responsible for ensuring forward

> progress. When acceptable to the working group, co-chairs may call for

> restricted participation (but not restricted attendance!) at Public Policy

> meetings for the purpose of achieving progress. The working group co-chairs

> then have the responsibility to refuse to grant the floor to any individual

> who is unprepared or otherwise covering inappropriate material, or who, in

> the opinion of the co-chairs, is disrupting the working group process.

>

> 3.4 Consensus

>

> The working group makes decisions by consensus as defined in the PDP

>

> 4.0 Appeals

>

> 4.1 Suspension of posting privileges

>

> Anyone whose privileges of posting to the mailing list have been suspended

> by the working group co-chairs may file an appeal against the decision to

> the chair of the AFRINIC board of directors. The chair will evaluate the

> circumstances, hear the co-chairs and complainer and decide. The chair’s

> decision shall be final and binding.

>

> 4.2 Co-chairs appointment

>

> A person who disagrees with the actions taken by a co-chair regarding the

> appointment process shall follow the conflict resolution process as defined

> in the PDP.

>

> Actions taken by the chair of AFRINIC board of directors regarding the

> appointment process are final and binding

>

> 5.0 Acknowledgements

>

> The author would like to acknowledge that some text and procedures in this

> document have been adapted from RFC2418 and from the working group’s

> practices of other RIRs.

>

> Authors

> Noah Maina

> noah at neo.co.tz

>

> Alain P. Aina

> aalain at trstech.net

> ========

>

> Cheers,

> *./noah*

>

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