The African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (AfDec) Coalition has announced the launch of two landmark publications as part of activities commemorating the 10th year of existence of the Declaration.
The publications take stock of the impact of the instrument and signal a future outlook in the Coalition’s ongoing efforts to promote and defend digital rights across the African continent.
Announcing the launch of the publications on this year’s Safer Internet Day, an annual event celebrated globally on 11 February to promote safer and more responsible use of digital technologies, particularly among children and young people, the AfDec Coalition said it shared the vision of a secure, inclusive and human rights-respecting digital environment.
The first of the reports, titled Ten Years of Building a Movement for Digital Rights in Africa: Impact of the African Declaration on Rights and Freedoms in Africa, was written by Koliwe Majama, a Zimbabwean digital rights activist advocating for media and internet freedom globally. The report chronicles the journey and achievements of the AfDec Coalition over the past decade and captures its advocacy efforts, partnerships, and impact in shaping a more inclusive and rights-respecting digital environment in Africa.
Noting that as a standard-setting tool, the African Declaration has demonstrated enduring relevance and adaptability in the rapidly changing technological and internet landscape, the report asserts: “Over the past decade, coalition members have drawn both directly and indirectly from its principles to guide their respective portfolios. The principles are frequently referenced in lobbying and advocacy work, as well as in the development, implementation, and monitoring of policies and regulations, research activities, and capacity-building initiatives targeting diverse stakeholders.”
According to the report, to date, the AfDec Coalition has documented 201 practical use cases of the application, reference or citation of the Declaration’s 13 principles on its official website, with these cases reflecting the principles’ application by coalition members and partners in responding to emerging developments within the dynamic digital environment.
The second report, written by Edetaen Ojo, a well-known Nigerian digital rights and freedom of expression campaigner, is titled Emerging Issues in Digital Rights in Africa: A Discussion Paper for the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (AfDec) Coalition. It explores the rapidly evolving landscape of digital rights on the continent, highlighting key trends, challenges and opportunities as Africa embraces digital transformation.
The publication highlights a wide range of emerging digital rights issues with both global significance and specific relevance to Africa, identified by stakeholders within and outside the digital rights community on the continent, which the African Declaration needs to address in order to maintain its relevance in continent’s dynamic digital environment.
The challenges and gaps include issues such as algorithmic bias and discrimination, data privacy and data sovereignty, equitable access to digital infrastructure, safeguards against surveillance abuses, and the digital inclusion of marginalised communities.
It makes the case that to address these complexities, there is a growing consensus on the need to update the Declaration through the refinement of some of the existing provisions and the addition of new ones to ensure that it remains a forward-looking, actionable framework capable of addressing the evolving digital rights landscape in Africa.
Zoé Titus, Executive Director of the NMT Media Foundation in Namibia and Chairperson of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), who edited the reports, explained that the publications are intended to empower stakeholders with knowledge and strategies to advance digital rights and freedoms across the continent.
She said: “These publications are a testament to the progress made and the challenges that remain as we strive to ensure that every African can enjoy their digital rights without fear or discrimination. We hope they will serve as valuable resources for policy makers, activists and all stakeholders invested in a free, open and inclusive internet.”
The AfDec Coalition is a network of civil society organisations, academics and activists working to promote human rights standards and principles of openness in internet policy and regulation across Africa.
