The ICANN Ombuds
The ICANN Ombuds' job is to make sure that ICANN community members are treated fairly. Acting as an impartial mediator, the Ombuds helps resolve disputes on issues involving the ICANN Board, staff, or supporting organizations. The Ombuds is here to help you!
Ask the Ombuds a QuestionAbout Ombuds
Elizabeth Field was appointed as ICANN Ombuds, effective 7 October 2024. She reports directly to the ICANN Board. She is available to support and advise ICANN community members to promote a community of inclusion and respect and address concerns about fairness, conflict and disagreement. She will also evaluate and resolve complaints from the ICANN community who believe that ICANN staff, Board or an ICANN constituent body has treated them unfairly. Elizabeth is a conflict resolution and organizational development practitioner with two decades international experience. She is a member of the International Ombuds Association and is a mediator, facilitator, conflict coach and restorative practitioner. She is based in Geneva and speaks English and French.
How the Office of Ombuds Can Help
This is a page with practical information as to how and when the Ombuds can help. Under the ICANN Bylaws, the Ombuds has a specific mandate and there are some things that the Ombuds cannot handle or investigate, such internal administrative matters, personnel matters, issues relating to membership on the Board, or issues related to vendor and supplier relations.
How the Ombuds Works
The ICANN Ombuds is independent entity, reporting directly to the ICANN Board. The Ombuds is neutral and impartial. This means that the Ombuds does not take sides nor is the Ombuds aligned with any single part of ICANN. The Ombuds instead is an advocate for fairness in ICANN and advocates equally for all parties participating in a process to be treated justly and with dignity.
Informal Dispute Resolution and Advice on Conflict
The Ombuds' function is to act as an informal dispute resolution office for the ICANN community. The Ombuds promotes continous learning and improvement and is available to provide confidential support, advice, and guidance to address conflict and group or inter-personal relationships in the community.
Preventing and Responding to Harassment
Under the Community Anti-Harassment Policy, the Ombuds is responsible for not only investigating complaints of harassment, but also supporting the community with activities that help to prevent harassment from occuring.
Complaints About Fair Treatment
The Ombuds provides an independent and internal evaluation of complaints from ICANN community members who believe that the ICANN staff or Board, or an ICANN constituent body, has treated them unfairly. The Ombuds also has a role to play in Requests for Reconsideration. The purpose of the office is to ensure that the members of the ICANN community have been treated fairly and have a safe avenue to voice their thoughts and concerns about fair treatment, inclusion and behavior.
The Ombuds will attempt to resolve complaints about unfair treatment, and where appropriate, use techniques like mediation, conflict coaching, conciliation, dialogue, shuttle diplomacy and where required, formal investigation or evaluation of complaint.
Confidentiality
Issues raised by community members with the Ombuds are completely confidential, although anonymous upward feedback is provided on themes raised with the Ombuds. The fact that someone has made a complaint is not disclosed unless the community member(s) raising the complaint waive confidentiality.
Jurisdiction
The Ombuds cannot make, change, or set aside a policy, administrative or Board or staff decision, act, or omission, but to the extent a member of the ICANN community complains that such a decision, act or omission results in unfair treatment of that community member, the Ombuds may investigate, and use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques to help resolve any unfairness and make recommendations as to changes to that end.
The Ombuds can neither investigate issues between a domain name registrar and a domain name holder, nor can the Office help with website content, spam, or malware issues. However, the Ombuds will try to find the best place to help with these issues and refer the visitor.
How the Ombuds Can Support Community Members
The Ombuds helps support the ICANN community in a number of important ways, such as:
- Addressing concerns related and advising community on conflict or working relationships between or amoung community members
- Offering guidance and support on conflict or working relationships between or amoung community members; facilitate and mediate disputes and conflict
- Providing support and assistance regarding incidents of harassment, including sexual harassment, and investigating complaints
- Promoting prevention of sexual harassment, bullying, mobbing, and other forms of anti-social or harmful behavior, and acting as a resource when such behaviors occur
- Assisting in resolving delays within ICANN and the community
- Addressing problems with unfair procedure in ICANN and the community
- Standing as an ally and additional resource for all occurrences of marginalization or exclusion related to identity
Get in Touch
The Ombuds welcomes all contact with the community and wants to hear how the Office can be helpful. Contact the Ombuds by emailing [email protected] or [email protected], or by completing the form at https://omb.icann.org.
Conditions to Participation in ICANN's Multistakeholder Model
ICANN is a unique multistakeholder environment. The ICANN community is comprised of participants from numerous and varied backgrounds, societal values, and cultural norms. A guiding goal of ICANN's requirements for participation is to emphasize, encourage, and promote the spirit of mutual respect expected within the ICANN community. As a condition of participation, those who take part in ICANN's multistakeholder model, are expected to understand and follow the ICANN's Expected Standards of Behavior and the ICANN Community Anti-Harassment Policy and Terms of Participation and Complaint Procedure.
ICANN's requirements for participation in the multistakeholder environment are not intended to impede or inhibit free speech.