Human rights and ICTs

Women face internet access challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda
Women face internet access challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda 23 June 2020 Peace Oliver Amuge and Sandra Aceng

This article analyses the challenge of internet access faced by women and other marginalised groups such as persons with disabilities in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The gender digital divide and COVID-19: Towards feminist internet regulations in southern Africa
The gender digital divide and COVID-19: Towards feminist internet regulations in southern Africa 23 June 2020 Tina Power

The African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms and the Feminist Principles of the Internet advocate for an internet that is accessible, available, useable and affordable to all persons, without discrimination. Realising these principles has become increasingly urgent in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Joint letter to United States Congress: Save internet freedom, support the Open Technology Fund
Joint letter to United States Congress: Save internet freedom, support the Open Technology Fund 22 June 2020 Various

APC joined over 400 other civil society organisations and thousands of individuals in this open letter calling on the US Congress to voice its support for the Open Technology Fund, an independent non-profit grantee of the United States Agency for Global Media in danger of being dismantled.

Questions for white liberals
Questions for white liberals 22 June 2020 Kharnita Mohamed for GenderIT.org

White allies rarely explain why particular racist actions might have occurred. White liberal intellectuals frequently learn anti-racist discourse and mimic it back at us with little trenchant thought given to their own experiences of whiteness.

Thai student protesters in the time of COVID-19: New generation, new forms of resistance online
Thai student protesters in the time of COVID-19: New generation, new forms of resistance online 22 June 2020 Chonthicha Jangrew for Coconet

In early 2020, Thailand saw a wave of student protests challenging the tenure and government of the Thai prime minister, but the pandemic forced a suspension of protests. How has social media been used in response?

Speaking of Hatred: Adoption of hate as a political tool by states
Speaking of Hatred: Adoption of hate as a political tool by states 22 June 2020

In the second session of “Speaking of Hatred: A three-part presentation on hatred, religion and gender in South and Southeast Asia", Dr. V. Geetha focused on the role of states in organising and building systems of hate directed against various minorities.

Privacy and the pandemic: An African response
Privacy and the pandemic: An African response 21 June 2020 Gabriella Razzano

COVID-19 has led to a surge of efforts by both state and private actors to manage the pandemic itself, and the consequences of it, with the aid of technology. Yet privacy has immediately been cast as a required trade-off in the efforts to combat the disease.

#DigitalLawsAsia
#DigitalLawsAsia 19 June 2020 Nerissa Naidoo for CYRILLA

From 10 - 12 June, CYRILLA and APC hosted a Twitter campaign. The purpose of #DigitalLawsAsia was to explore the human rights impacts of digital regulation in South and Southeast Asia.

In the era of COVID-19, is South Korea’s "new normal" a digital surveillance state?
In the era of COVID-19, is South Korea’s "new normal" a digital surveillance state? 16 June 2020 Network of Human Rights Organizations in response to COVID-19, South Korea

South Korea succeeded in epidemic prevention because it conducted active inspections based on tracking the whereabouts of confirmed patients. However, it should not be forgotten that behind the scenes is an electronic monitoring system that allows our every move to be tracked at any time.

EngageMedia: The conviction of Maria Ressa: Weaponising cyber libel to suppress freedom of speech
EngageMedia: The conviction of Maria Ressa: Weaponising cyber libel to suppress freedom of speech 16 June 2020 Vino Lucero for EngageMedia

On 15 June, online news organisation Rappler’s CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. were convicted of cyber libel charges, in just one of 11 court cases filed against Rappler, branded one of the staunchest critics of President Duterte.

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