I have been the ICANN Ombuds for a little over a year. That's hard for me to believe, but a year goes by very quickly when you're doing work you love for an organization whose mission grows increasingly more vital each day.
Engaging the ICANN Community
It has been a busy year. One of my most important and enjoyable tasks has been getting to know the ICANN community, learning about both the great strengths and the challenges the community faces.
I would like to thank the ICANN community for putting its trust in me, and I want to thank those in the community who have come to talk to me. Our conversations are always enriching and no matter whether it is a community member asking for information, raising a complaint, or seeking help to manage a conflict, I strive to be helpful, and I am commited to providing fair and impartial services that are exercised independent of outside influence.
Please see this blog for more information about contacting the Ombuds Office and how the Ombuds Office can help you.
ICANN Community Anti-Harassment Policy
When I joined ICANN in October 2024, the revision of the ICANN Community Anti-Harassment Policy was well underway, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to this work as a member of the Board Anti-Harassment Working Group. I am pleased to see that this work has been completed and has resulted in the revised ICANN's Community Anti-Harassment Policy.
The Community Anti-Harassment Policy represents a collective agreement about the norms we want to uphold within the community. Our shared goal is to create a positive environment where everyone feels safe, included, respected, and treated with dignity. The policy does this while also providing options for raising a concern or complaint about harassment.
The revised policy emphasizes support and prevention. Community members can speak confidentially with the Ombuds for advice, guidance, or support without being required to file a formal complaint. All concerns and complaints are taken seriously.
Community Resources for Anti-Harassment
A good anti-harassment policy is essential for the community, but it must be accompanied by good practice. To help you and your community group put the principles behind the policy into action and prevent harassment, I want to highlight some available resources from the Ombuds Office.
- Facilitated Informational Sessions:
- What: Interactive, tailored micro-sessions (20–60 minutes) for your community group to bring the Community Anti-Haraasment Policy to life.
- Delivery: Virtual or in-person at ICANN85 or ICANN86 (limited capacity of three to five spaces at each meeting).
- How to access: You can contact me directly to discuss: ([email protected])
- Learning Workshops:
- What: A series of workshops covering topics like recognizing harassment, being an effective bystander or upstander, and managing conflict.
- Delivery: Virtual or in-person at ICANN85 or ICANN86 (limited capacity of two to three spaces for each meeting).
- How to access: You can contact me directly to discuss: ([email protected]).
- Learning Resources:
- What: Relevant online courses accessible via ICANN Learn. I've had great feedback from the community on the ICANN Community Anti-Harassment training and the Unconscious Bias training. There are many other relevant courses including Navigating Challenging Conversations and Constructive Dialogue.
- Delivery: Self-paced and online
- How to access: https://learn.icann.org
- Written Resources:
- What: Resources to support the implementation of the Community Anti-Harassment Policy.
- Delivery: Online resources that include soon-to-be developed content such as a Community Anti-Haraasment Policy Guidance Document with more information about how the policy is implemented and a resource pack for ICANN community leaders.
- How to access: Resources on the Ombuds Webpage.
On the Horizon
I have also spent time refining the Ombuds Office systems and processes over this past year,. The revised Ombuds Office Framework and Process will be posted for Public Comment soon, and I look forward to community engagement on this important piece of work.
Preparation of the Ombuds Office Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2025 is underway. I see this report as an important resource for the ICANN ecosystem. In addition to providing more detail on the activities of the Ombuds Office, I hope the analysis of the themes from the Ombuds Office cases will provide useful insights to spur improvement and learning in the ICANN ecosystem. There are two emerging and interconnected themes this year that I will explore in more detail in the Ombuds Office Annual Report: (1) trust and participation in the multistakeholder model; and (2) community leadership growth and development.
Finally, keep an eye out for my next blog in the coming week discussing the results of the Baseline Survey and the Action Plan,