For those of us who have access to it, the internet has become an essential part of our daily information and communication needs. However millions of people still do not have affordable, reliable or sufficient connectivity. APC believes the internet is a global public good. Founded in 1990, we are an international network and non-profit organisation that wants everyone to have access to a free and open internet to improve our lives and create a more just world.

What people say about APC / What the media says about APC

APC welcomes UNGA resolution to protect right to privacy in the digital age in the face of challenges

22 November 2016 (APC for APCNews)

APC welcomes the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the resolution on the right to privacy in the digital age and expresses appreciation for the leadership by Brazil and Germany. This year’s resolution adds substantive language on the role of the private sector, which, as the resolution notes, poses a risk to the enjoyment of the right to privacy in the digital age because of its increasing capabilities to collect, process and use personal data.

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Crackdown on Bersih 2.0: APC condemns relentless attacks on freedom of assembly in Malaysia

18 November 2016 (APC for APCNews)

APC calls on the authorities to immediately release all the detainees in relation to the Bersih rally and to protect the exercise of their constitutional and internationally guaranteed rights, including the right to protest, and urges the government of Malaysia to refrain from cracking down on peaceful assembly and refrain from creating hurdles in their mobilisation, including through the use of ICTs.

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New GenderIT.org edition celebrating the 10 years of Take Back the Tech!

17 November 2016 (GenderIT.org)

This edition brings to us the voices from the campaigns scattered across the world, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina to India. The editorial written by Sara Baker who has led the campaign for almost 4 years now points to the shift that has taken place recently, and how online VAW is being acknowledged as a problem in mainstream news, included as an offence in the laws of several countries.

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GreenNet: 30 years making internet history

SARAJEVO 9 November 2016 (Leila Nachawati Rego for APCNews)

The APC European members meeting that took place on 19-20 October 2016 in Sarajevo was the perfect venue for Leila Nachawati Rego from APCNews to meet Edward Maw and Karen Banks from GreenNet, one of APC’s founders and the first organisational member of the network.

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Our collective story: 10 years of taking action on technology and gender-based violence

1 November 2016 (Take Back the Tech!)

How have internet technologies changed in the past decade? How have these changes affected the way we engage, relate, organise and take action? Have you been involved in Take Back the Tech!? How has campaigning made a difference in your community? Let’s write our collective story of feminist engagement with technology for transformation. Take action!

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African School on Internet Governance 2016: A multidimensional, mind-stretching and enriching experience

31 October 2016 (Olga Tsafack-Koloko for APCNews)

This year’s AfriSIG took place on 11-15 October 2016 in Durban and produced a total of 44 graduates, all of whom were very engaged in one way or another, and left more enlightened on the fundamentals and mechanisms of internet governance. Here is a debriefing of all that happened.

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Multistakeholder working group sets norms for cybersecurity policy that respects human rights

COSTA RICA 25 October 2016 (APC for APCNews)

At last week’s sixth annual Freedom Online Conference, the Freedom Online Coalition launched policy recommendations for human rights-based approaches to cybersecurity.

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APC's new subgranting programme benefits 18 members in 2016

19 October 2016 (Chat Garcia Ramilo for APCNews)

APC’s new subgranting programme awarded a total of USD 267,918 to support its members in achieving APC’s vision. Eighteen member organisations were recipients of 20 grants, 12 of which are project grants of up to USD 20,000 each, while the other eight are research and campaign grants of up to USD 5,000 each.

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APC's Jac sm Kee awarded the 2016 Stieg Larsson Prize

19 October 2016 (APC)

The 2016 Stieg Larsson Prize is awarded to Malaysian feminist activist and APC Women’s Rights Programme manager Jac sm Kee, for her struggle for women’s right to a free online environment and for an open and equal information society based on the potential of the internet.

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Africa discusses regional and global internet governance

DURBAN 14 October 2016 (APC for APCNews)

APC, members and partners are playing a key role in three exciting events happening in Durban, South Africa: the African Gender and Internet Governance eXchange, the African School on Internet Governance and the African Internet Governance Forum.

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New GenderIT.org edition! Fortitude and change in AWID Forum 2016

12 October 2016 (GenderIT.org)

In this special edition, GenderIT.org shares the experiences and reflections on the recent AWID Forum, in which a large group of women from APC Women’s Rights Programme and partners from different countries and regions, participated enthusiastically. This year’s AWID Forum showed that the feminist movement keeps growing stronger worldwide, and is committed to a politics of diversity and inclusion.

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Promoting the use of free software in Nigerian communities builds wealth

6 October 2016 (Olga Tsafack-Koloko and Mallory Knodel for APCNews)

Every year since 2004, on the third Saturday in September, hundreds of events are organised in dozens of cities around the world to increase “awareness of free software and its virtues” and to encourage use of free/libre and open source software (FLOSS) in a global event called Software Freedom Day.

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Africa gets ready for exciting events on internet governance

6 October 2016 (Olga Tsafack-Koloko for APCNews)

APC is gearing up for three exciting events starting soon in Durban, South Africa: the African Gender and Internet Governance eXchange (gigX), the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) and the African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF).

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Mohammed Maskati: "Digital security is still considered something cool and fancy and not taken seriously"

TUNIS 5 October 2016 (Leila Nachawati Rego for APCNews)

APCNews spoke with Mohammed al-Maskati, a renowned Bahraini human rights defender and digital security consultant for Front Line Defenders, during the recent Internet Governance in the Middle East and North Africa (IGMENA) Summit in Tunis.

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Landmark HRC resolution condemns threats to women journalists and restrictions on encryption

30 September 2016 (APC for APCNews)

The UN Human Rights Council passed a groundbreaking resolution today concerning the safety of journalists. APC welcomes this landmark resolution, in particular its condemnation of the specific attacks on women journalists, its recognition that encryption and anonymity tools are vital for the work of journalists, and its call on all states to release arbitrarily detained journalists.

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What people say about #APC25

"I congratulate APC on their 25th anniversary, which was celebrated in Brazil. But surely it is more than 25 years. Here is my small story. I joined Homeonet in 1987 from Manchester, and spectacularly was able to obtain a rare homeopathic medicine for my friend the late David Warkentin. I obtained it from England as he could not find it in California. We both said Hurrah and became friends, not just virtually but stayed in each others houses and worked together on software for homeopaths which is still running. BIG thanks for being there." -- Francis Treuherz

"When I was working for SANGONeT in the early 2000s, I was invited to give a presentation at an APC workshop in Johannesburg. I forget what I spoke about. All I remember was: Colour. A wash of colour. Hair, clothes, accents, perspectives. And the energy was different to what I was used to. So many people, from so many different countries - it blew me away. A few years later, I started working on APC projects as a freelancer, and then later as a staff member too. That sense of colour has never gone away. APC has connected me to different cultures in ways that are profound, and unusual. It's something that feels so ordinary now for me, but I don't think it is. Coming from such an inward-looking country, it has been a great richness to connect outwards." -- Alan Finlay, South Africa

"As an individual, APC has given me the opportunity to meet different people and share with them on different subjects. As an organisation, we have opportunities through APC to meet different organisations, build South-South and North-South project collaborations, and use face-to-face meetings to get to know each other and share our common views on how ICTs can better improve the lives of communities and citizens. Joyeux Anniversaire, APC!" -- Avis Momeni, PROTEGE QV, Cameroon

"I think that the main contribution made by APC has been to increase the visibility of the role of civil society organisations in setting the agenda for building the information society from a human rights-based perspective." -- Eduardo Rojas, Fundación REDES, Bolivia

"APC is a meeting and learning point, a point for sharing experiences, processes, results and objectives. And also a coordinating point for local, regional and global efforts." -- Mario Morales, Colombia

"As far as I am concerned, APC has given me the opportunity to take part in trainings and to increase my skills in ICTs and related aspects. Through the various events I have attended, I have been able to meet with people, share and gain experience, and gradually become a knowledgeable digital security trainer. I know many more opportunities are still to come, so Happy Anniversary and long live the opportunities and partnerships provided by APC! :) -- Olga Balbine Tsafack, PROTEGE QV, Cameroon"

"I do feel very happy and proud of the work we did with APC. For me and other technicians involved in this huge project, it became a way of life." -- Cristina Vasconi Nicarao — Nicaragua

“I believe APC played a much larger role in the evolution of the internet than most commentators and historians have mentioned" -- Ian Peters, founder of Pegasus

“After the Berlin Wall fell, NGOs were almost desperate to connect with one another within their countries, among their countries and with Western Europe, North America and others. APC node ZaMirNET in the former Yugoslavia was essential to helping women activists for peace connect during the conflict in the Balkans." -- Victoria Vrana

For the past several decades, APC and its member organisations have played a leading role establishing the first internet service in many countries, creating and promoting the first Internet Rights Charter, and helping individual activists, NGOs, and UN organisations and events harness of the power of the internet as a force for positive change in the world.” -- Peter Gabriel

"I am very proud to be part of your big family and have such great shared space to express myself as woman and as activist for marginalised culture. So, in our Tamzight language: “assegas dan mar APC” (happy new year, APC :)" -- Maha Jouini, Tunisia


  • The 4th edition of African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) took place from 11 to 15 October in Durban, South Africa. Check our updates! .

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