Changes

====Offices & Programs====

====Offices & Programs====

ICANN has created a number of offices and programs for the assessment and review of its level of accountability and transparency.

ICANN has created a number of offices and programs for the assessment and review of its level of accountability and transparency.

 

=====Senior Staff=====

=====Senior Staff=====

The senior staff of ICANN serve as officers of the organisation and are elected annually by the Board.

The senior staff of ICANN serve as officers of the organization and are elected annually by the Board.

====NomCom====

====NomCom====

ICANN also issues a "Transparency Report" at the end of each fiscal year, documenting statistics relevant to transparency efforts.<ref name="20ti">See, e.g. [https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/transparency-report-30jun20-en.pdf ICANN Transparency Report - 2019-20], June 30, 2020</ref> regarding the total percentage of internal process documents that are made publicly available.  

ICANN also issues a "Transparency Report" at the end of each fiscal year, documenting statistics relevant to transparency efforts.<ref name="20ti">See, e.g. [https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/transparency-report-30jun20-en.pdf ICANN Transparency Report - 2019-20], June 30, 2020</ref> regarding the total percentage of internal process documents that are made publicly available.  

===ICANN Documentary Information Disclosure Policy===

===ICANN Documentary Information Disclosure Policy===

ICANN org has also established the [[ICANN Documentary Information Disclosure Policy]] to assist members of the public in obtaining information regarding ICANN's operations and decision-making.<ref name="didp">[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/didp-2012-02-25-en ICANN.org - Documentary Information Disclosure Policy], last updated February 25, 2012</ref>

ICANN org has also established the [[Documentary Information Disclosure Policy]] to assist members of the public in obtaining information regarding ICANN's operations and decision-making.<ref name="didp">[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/didp-2012-02-25-en ICANN.org - Documentary Information Disclosure Policy], last updated February 25, 2012</ref>

 

===Accountability Mechanisms===

===Accountability Mechanisms===

Amendments to the [[ICANN Bylaws]] established four [[Accountability Mechanisms]] for reviewing and reconsidering ICANN actions, inactions and decisions:  

Amendments to the [[ICANN Bylaws]] established four [[Accountability Mechanisms]] for reviewing and reconsidering ICANN actions, inactions and decisions:  

* [[Reconsideration]],  

* [[Reconsideration]],  

* [[IRP|Independent Review]], and  

* [[IRP|Independent Review]], and  

* The office of the [[Ombudsman]]

* The office of the [[Ombudsman]].

==History==

==History==

Accountability, along with transparency, became a primary focal point of the [[ICANN]] community shortly after the [[NTIA]] announced its intent to transition the stewardship of the [[IANA]] functions to the global multistakeholder community. ICANN, already bestowed with the IANA functions contract and coordination of the [[DNS]], was asked to kick-start a multistakeholder process aimed at developing a proposal for the transition. During the early stages of this process, the community raised concern over the outlook of ICANN’s accountability following the transition. <ref>[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/process-next-steps-2014-10-10-en Enhancing ICANN Accountability: Process and Next Steps]</ref>

Accountability, along with transparency, became a primary focal point of the [[ICANN]] community shortly after the [[NTIA]] announced its intent to transition the stewardship of the [[IANA]] functions to the global multistakeholder community. ICANN, already bestowed with the IANA functions contract and coordination of the [[DNS]], was asked to kick-start a multistakeholder process aimed at developing a proposal for the transition. During the early stages of this process, the community raised concern over the outlook of ICANN’s accountability following the transition. <ref>[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/process-next-steps-2014-10-10-en Enhancing ICANN Accountability: Process and Next Steps]</ref>

From the days of ICANN’s infancy, a high degree of accountability was set in place by a contractual relationship between ICANN and the United States government. The renewal process of the IANA functions contract has historically served as a backstop to ICANN accountability. The impending relinquishment of this role by the US government created the opportunity and the necessity to examine the efficacy of existing accountability mechanisms. <ref>[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/process-next-steps-2014-10-10-en Enhancing ICANN Accountability: Process and Next Steps]</ref>

From the days of ICANN’s infancy, a high degree of accountability was set in place by a contractual relationship between ICANN and the United States government. The renewal process of the IANA functions contract served as a backstop to ICANN accountability. The [[IANA Functions Stewardship Transition|relinquishment of this role by the US government]] created the opportunity and the necessity to examine the efficacy of existing accountability mechanisms.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/process-next-steps-2014-10-10-en Enhancing ICANN Accountability: Process and Next Steps]</ref>

In late 2014 the need for an Accountability evaluation gave way to the creation of the CCWG-Accountability (CCWG), a cross-community working group created by [[SO]]s and [[AC]]s to determine how the current mechanisms in place could be strengthened to compensate for the absence of the US Government.  The CCWG immediately began working on developing proposed reforms to the accountability mechanisms currently in place, publishing its First Draft Proposal in May 2015. <ref>[https://internetnz.nz/sites/default/files/2015-10-09-ICANN-accty-chrono.pdf Chronology of Recent ICANN Accountability milestones]</ref>

The IANA Transition led to the formation of the [[Cross Community Working Group on Accountability]] (CCWG-Accountability) to determine how to strengthen and ensure accountability within ICANN.  The CCWG immediately began working on developing proposed reforms to the accountability mechanisms currently in place, publishing its First Draft Proposal in May 2015.<ref>[https://internetnz.nz/sites/default/files/2015-10-09-ICANN-accty-chrono.pdf Chronology of Recent ICANN Accountability milestones]</ref>

Enhancing ICANN Accountability is inherently intertwined with the IANA Stewardship Transition. In fact, there may not be any specific topic surrounding the transition that carries more weight than the outcome of the process for Enhancing ICANN Accountability.

Enhancing ICANN Accountability is inherently intertwined with the IANA Stewardship Transition. In fact, there may not be any specific topic surrounding the transition that carries more weight than the outcomes of the process for formalizing and empowering accountability mechanisms.

==Reviewing and Improving ICANN's Accountability==

==Reviewing and Improving ICANN's Accountability==

===Accountability and Transparency Reviews===

===Accountability and Transparency Reviews===

Following the [[Affirmation of Commitments]], [[ICANN]] enshrined its commitment to ensuring the accountability and transparency of its decision-making in its bylaws and began reviewing the organization's fulfillment of this commitment in 2010 with the [[First Accountability and Transparency Review]]. Since then, a [[Second Accountability and Transparency Review]] and [[Third Accountability and Transparency Review]] have followed.

Following the [[Affirmation of Commitments]], [[ICANN]] enshrined its commitment to ensuring the accountability and transparency of its decision-making in its bylaws and began reviewing the organization's fulfillment of this commitment in 2010 with the [[First Accountability and Transparency Review]]. Since then, a [[Second Accountability and Transparency Review]] and [[Third Accountability and Transparency Review]] have followed. ATRT3, in particular, recommended sweeping changes to the ways in which ICANN org, SOs, and ACs review and report upon their efficiency and representation of stakeholders.

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Concepts]]

[[Category:Concepts]]