Human rights and ICTs
Access to the internet is becoming subject to increasing restrictions worldwide, including numerous African countries, as we reported a few months ago in “It’s like being cut off from the world”. This is particularly so in the case of Uganda, where the newest member of the APC network, Unwanted Witness, is based. We talked to Dorothy Mukasa, executive director of the organisation, about challenging internet shutdowns and other violations of human rights online in a country with high lev...
The Stockholm Internet Forum (SIF) is conceived as “a platform for advancing a free, open and secure internet as a driver of development.” Organised by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) every two years, it gathers together hundreds of participants from around the world and a wide range of stakeholder groups for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and collaboration. At this year’s Forum, as in years past, the APC network was actively engaged, by organising, co-organising, ...
Unwanted Witness was established in 2012 by a group of netizens, bloggers, activists, writers and human rights defenders as an independent, non-partisan and not-for-profit civil society organisation. It seeks to create secure uncensored online platforms to promote human rights through writing, informing and educating citizens who also utilise the platforms for strengthening free expression an...
In 2018 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) affirmed that the “surveillance of digital communications must be consistent with international human rights obligations” and in accordance with a “publicly accessible, clear, precise, comprehensive and nondiscriminatory” legal framework, without any arbitrary or unlawful interference with the right to privacy. UNGA called on states and...
Dear President Juncker, Dear First Vice-President Timmermans, Dear Vice-President Ansip, Dear Commissioner Gabriel, Dear Director General Roberto Viola, The undersigned stakeholders represent fundamental rights organisations, the knowledge community (in particular libraries), free and open source software developers, and communities from across the European Union. The new Directive on Copyright...
In a scenario that is increasingly visual, video has become a powerful tool to challenge social and environmental injustice. But making change is not as simple as making a video. This is how APC member EngageMedia presents its newly launched Video for Change Impact Toolkit, an online resource that can help activists harness the power of video to advocate for issues as pressing as extrajudicial ...
Events in the first quarter of 2019 indicate that Africa urgently needs to agree on a homegrown strategy for the protection and promotion of online rights and freedoms on the continent. During the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) held in Lagos, Nigeria on 24-25 April 2019, at a session hosted by APC on behalf of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Secretariat, parti...
The Stockholm Internet Forum (SIF), organised by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is taking place between 16 and 17 May in Stockholm, preceded by the activities happening at the Pre-SIF on 15 May. The Forum aims to provide a space to explore the most recent threats against democracy online and the responses needed to mobilise openness in the context of shrinking d...
To permanent representatives of member and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Excellency, Ahead of the 41st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (“the Council”), which will take place from 24 June to 12 July 2019, we write to call on your delegation to deliver statements, both jointly and individually, and to engage in bilateral démarches to address the o...
Over 200 delegates from across Africa and the world joined the seventh edition of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) hosted by Paradigm Initiative in Lagos, Nigeria, between 23 and 25 April. The Forum, previously known as Internet Freedom Forum, featured 21 sessions focused on securing human rights in the digital age and expanding digital access to marginalised populations. Organisat...
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2019
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