Internet governance
What happens when an ardent internet governance activist has to suddenly place themselves in the shoes of the private sector? Or a social tech enthusiast has to play the role of the government during a simulation? Does the shift of perspective strengthen everyone’s grasp of internet governance?
We want the internet to be recognised and governed as a global public good in an inclusive, transparent, democratic and accountable manner. Check out our achievements in this area in 2020.
At the IGF we often concentrate on specific themes which might be technical, like the domain name system, or more generic such as access or cybersecurity. The challenges I’m going to raise today are more fundamental issues that affect the internet as a whole.
When discussions around access to the internet are raised, our thoughts turn to whether we have sufficiently solved the issues of poverty, health, education and energy to decide that internet access is a needed right in Africa. But COVID-19 has changed our view of the need for connectivity.
We want people, especially those facing discrimination and oppression, to have greater power and autonomy through digital technologies to exercise their full range of human rights online and offline. Check out our achievements in this area in 2020.
It is undeniable that our world today is a digital one. It is this world that young Africans are navigating today. Perhaps our play, our natural gravitation towards games, social media and movies, is our way of expressing our desire for mastery, and ultimately our claim on the internet.
The new film collection, Tech Tales, aims to raise awareness on the importance of protecting digital rights in a time of intensifying security risks and rights violations in the Asia-Pacific region.
For the young person I was, under 25 years, attending the African School on Internet Governance and getting involved in the internet ecosystem in my country was a dream that I will continue to follow.
The 2021 African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) has brought together actors from digital ecosystems worldwide. It has been a golden opportunity for me and my community as I have learnt about several topics on internet governance.
How did I make it to the AfriSIG 2021 fellow if I am not deserving (African child suffering from impostor syndrome)?
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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