Closer than ever
APC understands that we are all dealing with unprecedented circumstances as we face the challenges, fear and uncertainty brought on by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know it impacts our work, our personal lives and the lives of those we care about. Each country is tackling the situation differently, so the contexts we find ourselves in are as diverse as the ways we find to navigate shifting conditions.
In these exceptional times, we wish to send our solidarity and appreciation for connecting with us. While we are distancing ourselves physically, we continue to stay closer than ever to each other and share tools and resources as well as support. We also want to examine how we can continue to promote human rights online in the context of a global pandemic. We are all facing this problem together but we know it affects different countries and communities in different ways. Therefore, we would like to channel the strength of our network to share some important resources that we hope will be empowering, enlightening and reassuring.
Below you will find articles and insights shared by our community, which has been working on human rights and technology issues for over 30 years. We will be updating these lists on a regular basis, so please feel free to connect with us if you have some resources to share.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated concerns on public life. Among the conditions faced in the Philippines during this period is gender-based violence, influenced by the quality of gender-responsive measures in times of crises.
The Foundation for Media Alternatives organised a webinar on digital rights in the Philippines, discussing the exacerbation of the digital divide during the lockdown, freedom of expression and the effects of the controversial Anti-Terror Law.
The fifth session of the African Internet Resilience webinar series took place on 30 July. The focus of the session was to foster a deeper understanding of complementary networks and address the need for internet services in rural and underserved areas across the continent.
LGBTIQA+ people are often already isolated and invisibilised in their families, sometimes also facing abuse. In this article, mental health professionals speak about the vulnerability of these groups and people during the lockdown and how fragile links of community and support are being built.
On 17 July, the Tanzania government issued new Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations. These new regulations repress online speech, privacy and access to information.
This position paper published by 7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media details the increase in Israeli digital rights violations with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants from a range of countries and regions took part in a panel at RightsCon 2020 to bring perspectives from around the world to the topic of empowering the people through media and information literacy.
How does working online change and challenge gender dynamics in the workplace? Here we learn more through the experience of a barrister about how some of the changes brought about by COVID-19 could potentially be liberating and eventually change the workplace to make it better for women.
APC member organisation the Open Culture Foundation (OCF), based in Taiwan, reflects upon their experience at RightsCon 2020, which this year took place online.
More than 45,000 people have registered to return to their home state Manipur, and many are women nurses who faced discrimination and harassment while they were doing their jobs in mainland India. Returnees now face a precarious future regarding where they live, their jobs and their future.
Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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