Africa

Do you love thy neighbour as you love thyself? Uganda’s homophobic law seeds further hatred in a precarious rape culture
Do you love thy neighbour as you love thyself? Uganda’s homophobic law seeds further hatred in a precarious rape culture 13 September 2023 Tusiime Tutu

Uganda passed one of the world's strictest anti-homosexuality bills this year, raising a legal spectre that goes back a decade in the making. This law weaponises hatred fueled by digital misinformation in a society that must reckon with not just its homophobia but its larger fear of any 'difference'.

Community networks newsletter: Can connectivity enable a worthwhile digital future leaving no one behind?
Community networks newsletter: Can connectivity enable a worthwhile digital future leaving no one behind? 31 August 2023 APCNews

In this edition we can see many examples of community-centred initiatives flourishing in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Welcome to the 61th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks and community-based initiatives.

Photo essay: Enabling Nigerian communities to see the soot around them
Photo essay: Enabling Nigerian communities to see the soot around them 22 August 2023 Maja Romano

MAJI in Nigeria recently co-hosted an #EcoThursday Twitter discussion on deploying open data and low-cost technologies for monitoring air pollution and creating evidence-based advocacy. This photo essay captures their journey in holding oil polluters accountable.

Seeding change: Promoting open educational resources in East Africa, one school at a time
Seeding change: Promoting open educational resources in East Africa, one school at a time 21 August 2023 Leila Nachawati

In many parts of East Africa, lack of connectivity has a big impact on education, especially among the most vulnerable. Addressing this is the goal of Kenya-based organisation Arid Lands Information Network, whose latest project provided teachers and schools with open educational resources.

Assessing the level of respect of the Internet rights and freedoms in Africa: Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Chad study cases
Assessing the level of respect of the Internet rights and freedoms in Africa: Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Chad study cases 09 August 2023 PROTEGE QV

Organisations and independent experts from six Sub-Saharan African countries that share French as one of their national languages have developed an approach for assessing the level of respect for human rights online by their governments: the African Index of Internet Rights and Freedoms.

Including community networks in Universal Service Fund strategies: A step to overcome the digital divide
Including community networks in Universal Service Fund strategies: A step to overcome the digital divide 27 July 2023 Débora Prado

The Universal Service Fund – created precisely to subsidise the promotion of universal access to telecommunications services – should include community-led models, as recommended by ITU on several occasions, and advancing in countries such as Argentina, Malawi and Kenya. 

Regulators from Southern African countries take a deep dive into community networks alternatives for digital inclusion
Regulators from Southern African countries take a deep dive into community networks alternatives for digital inclusion 26 July 2023 Débora Prado

A forum organised by the Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa brought together its member states to discuss the importance of community networks in providing universal services, and the policy and regulation measures needed to support them.

The gendered challenges of e-governance in Kenya
The gendered challenges of e-governance in Kenya 20 July 2023 Cecilia Mwende Maundu for GenderIT.org

E-governance models are leaving women and gender minorities behind in Kenya, despite the Kenyan government's increasing focus on digitising delivery of government services. Due to this, there remains a challenge of who gets to access these services through technology.

Towards the Digital Super Highway: How community networks will shape Kenya’s digital agenda
Towards the Digital Super Highway: How community networks will shape Kenya’s digital agenda 07 July 2023 Catherine Kyalo

Community networks in Kenya are happy to lead the way with Africa's first-ever association of community networks. The association unites community networks in Kenya, amplifies their voices, and prioritises their needs in policy dialogues, fostering a favourable environment for their development.

Scorecard: Accessibility of government websites to persons with disabilities
Scorecard: Accessibility of government websites to persons with disabilities 29 June 2023 Florence Awino Ouma, Nicodemus Nyakundi and Judy Okite

This research aimed to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities when accessing government websites and digital services in Kenya.

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