To spark conversations that address policies restricting an open internet in Nigeria, I hosted a roundtable discussion in Abuja, Nigeria, earlier this year. The purpose was to provide a forum for participants to share their insights on how digital rights advocates and policymakers can work together to develop and implement legislation that promotes digital rights.
Open Internet Leader, Thato Mochone examines how governments in Southern Africa are utilizing the disinformation and misinformation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic as a means to restrict the freedom of expression.
Open Internet for Democracy Leader, Thato Mochone, shares the outcomes of a virtual multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at initiating discussions on digital rights trends throughout Lesotho and building strategic relationships among diverse stakeholders seeking to promote internet freedom.
On September 29, 2020, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) released a new report, State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2020. The report focuses on the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) measures adopted by governments to contain its spread on digital rights and freedoms including freedom of expression and information, assembly and association, and the right to privacy.
Gideon Sarpong is a policy analyst and media practitioner with over eight years of experience in policy, data and investigative journalism. Gideon is a co-founder of iWatch Africa and currently the Director of Policy and News. His work includes designing strategic project and policy focus for the organization and leads iWatch’s digital rights initiative. Gideon holds a PgD in Fiscal Policy for Financing Sustainable Development from the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning, in South Africa.
Esther Mwema is an artist whose drive is to build tools toward girls' safety (via Safety First for Girls) and to increase digital citizenship in local communities (via Digital Grassroots). She is concerned with addressing Inequalities as an Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity based at the London School of Economics. She is an Open Internet Leader interested in understanding how infrastructure affects power relations.
Catherine Muya is a lawyer and policy officer advancing digital rights and data governance in sub-Saharan Africa through comprehensive policy engagement and advocacy. As a Tech Policy Fellow at the Lawyers Hub Kenya, she leads her organization’s work in Internet Governance and Electoral Democracy. She has written on various issues including digital identity, data governance and elections in Africa. She helped convene the inaugural Africa Law Tech Festival in Kenya bringing together stakeholders from 20+ countries to discuss policy alternatives on Digital Rights.
Nashilongo Gervasius is a Digital Consultant and lead technology, media and freedom of expression, gender, democracy and governance research and projects at NamTshuwe Digital. She is also a Media and Communication Lecturer. Nashilongo is the founder of the Internet Society Namibia Chapter where she led and implemented Technology Policy research and projects. She is also a founding member of the National Working Group on Internet Governance Forum in Namibia. In the technology policy space, Nashilongo actively engages in the areas of Inclusion, Digital Rights as well as ICT for Development.
Paola has a passion for leveraging technology to advance diversity and inclusion. She is currently the head of regulatory and public affairs at Niubox, a Peruvian consulting firm where she is tasked to develop and deliver strategic regulatory interventions to shape a better regulatory framework for the digital ecosystem. Prior to working at Niubox, Paola worked for more than five years at the intersection of law and technology while at Microsoft and Montezuma & Porto. Paola also enjoys teaching technology law at the University of Lima.
Sheilah’s work in Kenya and across Africa includes co-creating digital policies, enabling the growth of startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), and convening communities and entrepreneurs. She is the CEO of The CoRD, an innovation ecosystem building, policy creation, and advocacy agency based in Nairobi. Sheilah also serves on several international boards such as the Global Innovation Gathering, Africa Innovation Policy Task Force (AIPTF), the Vice Chair of the Association of Startups, and SME Enablers of Kenya (ASSEK).