Internet rights are human rights

Since early 2021, the Kingdom of Eswatini has been gripped by waves of civil unrest, with reports of internet shutdowns implemented by the government in response to protests. It is in this climate of suspicion and unrest that cybercrime and data protection laws were gazetted in early 2022.

In the second installment of the Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) 15th anniversary series, Anriette Esterhuysen reflects on the birth of the project during her time as APC's executive director, as well as its evolution and longevity as a meaningful resource.

African internet users remain resilient in the face of all manner of state-sponsored and private tech-enabled cyber threats and obstacles, and civil society actors continue to raise and amplify their voices even as spaces for free expression, online and offline, are squeezed tighter and tighter.

APC's landmark publication Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. This inaugural piece by its long-time editor is the first in a series that will celebrate and examine how far we've come and where we need to head next. 

Imagine you are in the middle of the Amazon rain forest. There is no mobile coverage or internet access. The long distances and rugged landscapes make communication highly challenging. These communities are precisely the ones Rhizomatica aims to support when building new technologies that connect people.

APC's statement at the OEWG dedicated stakeholder session also notes that it is encouraging to see the inclusion of language connected with narrowing the digital divide and a growing number of states calling for a gender-sensitive approach to international cybersecurity.

APC is attending the third substantive session of the UN Open-ended Working Group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security 2021-2025 (OEWG II), taking place this week, from 25 to 29 July, in-person in New York.

In this submission to the third substantive session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on the security of, and in the use of, information and communications technologies (OEWG), APC addresses some of the recommended next steps outlined in the draft progress report.