access to the internet
This paper focuses on the human rights impacts of recent initiatives in three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) to “tax” the internet through introducing excise duties on, essentially, internet access and/or use.
This paper was developed by APC in response to the call for submissions on the role of national human rights institutions in Southeast Asia in protecting human rights by the Asia Centre. It addresses the ways ICTs and the internet create new spaces where NHRIs can improve the way they function.
Access to information and knowledge has been recognised as a key principle for achieving the WSIS vision since 2003. Information and knowledge for all are key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals because they link to empowerment and mobility, enabling people to improve their lives.
The focus on this year’s SIF was around the critical issues of access and power. When talking about access and power, the discussion naturally comes to why there aren’t as many women in online spaces even after years of civil society’s hard work.
The African market is flooded with zero rating services such as Free Basics (Facebook’s zero rating scheme) and other subsidised data strategies. Do these schemes make internet more affordable and bring access to more people in Africa?
The emergence of the internet is touted as an opportunity for women in Africa to "play catch up" after years of being "left out". But what are African women’s realities and to what extent can the internet be made accessible to them and have meaningful impact in their lives?
This comparative country study, based on focus groups conducted in November 2016 in Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa, sought to develop evidence of why people use the internet the way they do, specifically when their data is subsidised.
APC member organisation PROTEGE QV is hosting a training workshop on advocacy strategies to push for a faster internet in Cameroon. The workshop has brought together close to 20 participants including telecommunication students, media representatives, industry players and members of civil society.
APC welcomes the report by the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, particularly the substantial consideration given to the role of the internet and technology in education, and the observation that the digital divide persists and continues to result in unequal opportunities for education.
In a new position paper from APC, we unpack the underlying causes of limited connectivity, analyse the shortcomings of current initiatives, and propose a set of policy responses to address the access gap.
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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