Today marked the beginning of the three-day Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF23) in Nairobi, which has brought together 600 participants from various parts of the world. The event started with a top-level panel discussion featuring notable individuals such as Ms. Emma Inamutila Theofelus, Namibia’s Deputy Minister for Information Communication & Technology (ICT); Ms. Grace Githaiga, CEO & Convenor of KICTANet; Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, and Mr. Vladimir Garay, Advocacy Director of Derechos Digitales.
Digital rights are the fundamental human rights that apply to individuals’ use of digital technologies and the internet. These rights include freedom of expression, privacy, access to information, and the right to participate in the digital society without discrimination or censorship. Digital rights also encompass the protection of personal data and the right to control and own one’s online identity. As technology advances, the protection of digital rights becomes increasingly important to safeguard individuals’ liberties and freedoms. However, these rights face numerous challenges such as government surveillance, cyberattacks, and restrictions on access to the internet. Therefore, it is crucial to promote and protect digital rights to ensure a fair, open, and secure digital society for everyone.
At the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum, the panel was unanimous on the need for sustainable internet and balanced regulation across the continent. Ms. Theofelus, who spoke about the level of Internet penetration in Namibia, pointed out the huge cost involved in developing infrastructure and the need for government and political will.
“Rolling out infrastructure is difficult and very expensive. We have put in place the conditions for licensing and investment from the government. There has been some political will. This includes the Universal Service Fund. We also have one of the most liberated media on the continent,” she said.
Ms. Githaiga emphasised the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration and joint convenings in delivering Internet access. “As KICTANet, we have held joint convenings focusing on cybersecurity, data protection and the broadband report. The Kenya Internet Governance Forum is our flagship program. Through the forum we discuss and see how to fit issues into our local context.”
On his part, Vladimir stressed the importance of Internet access saying connectivity supports human rights. “People want high quality, affordable and secure internet connectivity. The Internet is expensive and limited. We need to acknowledge and address internet connectivity gaps.”
‘Gbenga also urged stakeholders to contribute towards efforts aimed at ensuring Internet accessibility. “If all stakeholders don’t get their hands dirty, we will come back here 10 years later to discuss the same issues,” he added.
Paradigm Initiative is hosting the Pan-African bilingual event in collaboration with Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) and Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) established under Strathmore University. KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder think tank in Kenya for ICT policy and regulation. CIPIT is an evidence-based research and training Centre based at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.
At the forum, Paradigm Initiative is hosting key partners from Internews, the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, Derechos Digitales, the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), Inclusive Tech Group, Access Now, Data Privacy Brazil, Defend Defenders, Youth and Society, Tech Societal, the Global Network Initiative, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, MTN and the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law, to mention a few.
The event sponsors are the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ford Foundation, Wikimedia Foundation, Google, Open Technology Fund and the Global Network Initiative (GNI).
PIN, which is a leading Pan-African Digital Rights and Inclusion organization, has convened DRIF since 2013. The forum, whose theme is Building A Sustainable Internet For All, will bring together representatives from government, non-governmental organizations, academia, media, funding partners, the United Nations, the technical community, and the private sector within the digital ecosystem.
The forum is hosting 70 sessions with partners from 48 countries across the world. Sessions are focusing on among other themes, Internet shutdowns, Universal Service Fund utilization, data protection, content moderation, and censorship. Also lined up at the event are key launches of research, platforms, and networks.
Last year’s DRIF under the theme, Towards a Digitally Inclusive Africa was a hybrid event that was able to reach over 1,300 individuals. Physical sessions were hosted in 17 African countries.