Enhancing ICANN Accountability – Work Stream 2 Implementation
Work Stream 2 (WS2) of the Cross-Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability) comprises nearly 100 accountability and transparency-related recommendations, directed at ICANN org, the ICANN Board, and the ICANN community, which serve to ensure ICANN org remains accountable to the multistakeholder community.
The recommendations of the WS2 Final Report span the following topics: Diversity, Guidelines for Good Faith Conduct, Framework of Interpretation for Human Rights, Jurisdiction, Improving the ICANN Office of the Ombuds, SO/AC Accountability, Staff Accountability, and Transparency.
Recommendations
Implementation status of the ICANN org, Board, and community recommendations:
- Recommendations to Improve Diversity
- Recommendations for Guidelines for Standards of Conduct Presumed to Be in Good Faith Associated with Exercising Removal of Individual ICANN Board Directors
- Recommendation for a Framework of Interpretation for Human Rights
- Recommendations on Jurisdiction
- Recommendations for Improving the ICANN Office of the Ombuds (IOO)
- Recommendations to Increase SO/AC Accountability
- Recommendations to Improve Staff Accountability
- Recommendations to Improve ICANN Transparency
Latest Updates
- Update on ICANN Work Stream 2 Implementation (2 May 2022)
- Q1 2022 Implementation Summary (31 March 2022)
- Update: Sharing Recent ICANN Work Stream 2 Implementation Progress (22 December 2021)
- Moving Work Stream 2 Implementation Forward (5 November 2021)
- Q4 2021 Implementation Summary (28 October 2021)
- Register for the ICANN Webinar on Work Stream 2 Implementation (10 May 2021)
- An Update on Work Stream 2 Implementation (4 March 2021)
- Moving Toward Implementation: Next Steps for Work Stream 2 (8 May 2020)
Background
As initial discussions of the IANA Stewardship Transition were taking place, the ICANN community raised the broader topic of the impact of the transition on ICANN accountability. From this dialogue, the Enhancing ICANN Accountability process was developed to provide assurance that ICANN remains accountable in the absence of its historical contractual relationship with the U.S. Government. The work of the Cross-Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability) was divided into two phases:
- The first work stream (WS1) concluded in 2016 and developed consensus recommendations on accountability enhancements required for the IANA Stewardship Transition.
- The second work stream (Work Stream 2, or WS2) focused on topics whose implementation was not required for the successful IANA Stewardship Transition.
In November 2018, further to Chartering Organizations' approval, the CCWG-Accountability submitted its WS2 Final Report to the ICANN Board. The Board resolved to adopt all consensus recommendations in November 2019, including implementation guidance contained in the WS2 Final Report as well as considerations of effort identified in the WS2 Implementation Assessment Report.