connect your rights

Those with internet access are more likely to enjoy the potential realisation of rights, while those without access lack such potential. Additionally, the control of technologies is not necessarily in the hands of traditional duty bearers in human rights law. In such a scenario, what is the relationship between access to the internet and the frameworks to allow internet access as a right?

Earlier this year, civil society organisations drafted the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms in order to guide internet development across Africa. APC and partners launched a wide, public consultation online and through meetings across the continent. Everyone is invited to contribute. The consultation closes 4 August. French and Arabic versions are available.    

In the fourth edition of the MIND magazine, which questions human rights in internet governance, Joy Liddicoat of the Association for Progressive Communications makes the point that freedom of expression only takes its full force for democratic change when we can exercise it together with all of our other rights and freedoms. She argues that human rights must be a main focus of all discussions ...

APC has released a new issue paper, “A cyber security agenda for civil society: what is at stake?” For the release of this issue paper, author Alex Comninos spoke with APC’s Shawna Finnegan about cybersecurity, ICTs for human security and conflict prevention, and the challenges faced by civil society.

At a workshop on internet governance in the MENA region, held from 16 to 19 March 2013 in Tunis, APC presented “IG and Policy: Anchoring and Safeguarding internet Openness in the Middle East and North Africa,” a workshop on civil society engagement in IG and public policy.

From 19 to 22 March 2013 Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) met in Istanbul for a Training of Trainers workshop on digital security. Participants were selected by the WHRD International Coalition. With increasing online threats to the freedom of expression and association and because they are women, WHRDs face many unique threats online that can hinder their activism.

At 10:26 UTC on November 29th, Syria’s international internet connectivity was shut down. APC strongly condemns this shut down, which threatens the safety and security of the Syrian people, and clearly violates international human rights law.

APC and Hivos launched the 2012 edition of the Global Information Society Watch during the second day of the Internet Governance Forum that took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, in a joint presentation with the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Internet & Society Co:llaboratory.