Access to information
Access to information is a fundamental right that needs to be realised in support of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs) – whether it’s information on life skills, social security grants, science and culture, or access to legal or educational resources. Access to information is also high on the global sustainable development agenda. As David Souter writes in an APC briefing document for the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva: “There is much more reco...
When we talk about economic, social and cultural rights we have to deal with the hard fact that realising them takes money. It costs money to build and staff hospitals that make the right to health a reality. It costs money to build and staff schools that make the right to education a reality. Not only does it cost money, but governments have to make choices. Economic, social and cultural rights are meant to guide those choices. A government should rather build schools than buy submarines, sh...
Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, Mr. David Kaye, Mr. Joseph Cannataci, Mr. Maina Kiai, Mr. Michel Forst, Ms. Faith Pansy Tlakula, and Ms. Reine Alapini-Gansou cc: African Union African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Secretariat Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Secretariat Domestic & International Election Observer Missions to the Republic of Uganda East African Community Secretariat ...
This article was originally published by poliTICS, an Instituto Nupef publication, on 22 November 2015 Given that the Internet has become an indispensable tool for realizing a range of human rights, combating inequality, and accelerating development and human progress, ensuring universal access to the Internet should be a priority for all States. – UN Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue, 2011. We...
Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD) is a young Islamabad based non profit. MMfD has been formed on the vision and the belief that a liberal, professional media industry is the cornerstone of a progressive, democratic society. We strive for an inclusive, democratic media industry that is tech-friendly, progressive diverse, professional and secure. Media development in Pakistan is the main pr...
Policy Options for Connecting the Next Billion. APC Submission to the 2015 IGF The Nature of the Problem Affordable and reliable internet access has become a vital means to exercise fundamental human rights and freedoms. As observed by the UN, “the internet is one of the most powerful instruments of the 21st century for increasing transparency in the conduct of the powerful, access to informa...
This paper addresses the relationship between access to the internet as a key to facilitate and enjoy ESCRs, comparing discourses surrounding internet access, and the frameworks to allow internet access as a right within the larger context of access to different economic, social and cultural rights. The second section summarises the analysis of internet access as a right, concluding with a list...
ICT policy makers and regulators from 14 Southern African countries comprising the Member States of the SADC region gathered in Johannesburg to discuss how infrastructure sharing strategies and policies can be used to improve broadband access in the region. Dveloping countries can save billions and speed universal broadband access by sharing telecom infrastructure (such as ducts, fibres and mas...
Turkey has come to the fore due to its conduct to ban world-famous websites, which undoubtedly targets not only websites with LGBTI content but freedom of expression in general. Restrictions on access to websites come in two ways: Blocking the content and bans on obtaining domain names. Contents A- Freedom of Expression on the Internet in Turkey.................. 5 B- LGBTI People’s Freedom o...
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2017
Unless otherwise stated, content on the APC website is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)