CIPESA Partners with AfricTivistes for the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2024 (FIFAfrica24)

Announcement |
The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is pleased to announce a partnership with the Dakar-based AfricTivistes for the upcoming Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2024 (FIFAfrica24) set to take place on September 25-27, 2024 in Senegal. This partnership marks a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to advance digital democracy by both entities.

Established in 2015,…

NOW OPEN! FIFAfrica24 Call for Session Proposals and Travel Support Applications

Announcement |

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) invites interested parties to submit session proposals to the 2024 edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica24). Successful submissions will help to shape the agenda of the event, which will gather hundreds of policymakers, regulators, human rights defenders, journalists, academics, private sector players, global information intermediaries,…

The ADRF Awards USD 134,000 to 10 Initiatives to Advance Tech Accountability in Africa

Announcement |

The grant recipients of the eighth round of the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF) will implement projects focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), hate speech, disinformation, microtargeting, network disruptions, data access, and online violence against women journalists and politicians. The work of the 10 initiatives, who were selected from 130 applications, will span the breadth of the African continent…

The Pursuit for Digital Security among Women Journalists in Uganda

By Juliet Nanfuka |

The media sector in Uganda has grown exponentially since its liberalisation in the 1990s, which saw a shift away from state-owned media to the pluralism of print media, radio and television stations and the eventual entry of digital media at the turn of the century. Yet despite this, women journalists appear to have remained on the periphery…

2024 the Year of Democracy: African Electoral Authorities Release Guidelines for Social Media Use

By CIPESA Writer |

Over the last couple of years, digital and social media have come to play a central role in elections in Africa. That role has many bright sides, such as enabling swift voter education by electoral bodies, efficient campaigns by candidates, as well as monitoring and reporting malpractice. For the bigger part, in many African countries, the focus…

Webinar: How African Women in Politics Are Pushing Back Against Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

Event |

Gender diversity in political leadership is critical for promoting equity, inclusion, and economic benefits. However, gender disparities in political participation still exist globally, particularly in Africa. Digital technologies can assist in solving this disparity given their ability to give voice and civic agency to different political actors, especially women, and space for political engagement. As enshrined in Sustainable Development Goal 5 on…

Robust Data Protection Standards Could Spur Regional Economic Integration

By Edrine Wanyama |

Leaders in charge of various data protection agencies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who met at the East African Exchange on Data Protection held in Kampala, Uganda on March 6, 2024, recognised the need to buttress data protection by promoting the right to privacy in the region.

The event drew representatives of government agencies and CSOs…

Save the Date: The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica24) September 25-27, 2024!

Announcement |

It’s time to mark your calendars for the annual Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica), the largest gathering on digital rights on the continent.  The 2024 edition will be held on September 25-27 and as in previous years will align with the commemoration of the annual International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).

FIFAfrica sets the stage for…

CIPESA Trains CSOs on Digital Rights Advocacy and Campaigning in Africa

By Asimwe John Ishabairu |

As part of efforts to build digital rights movements in Africa that are impactful and sustainable, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) trained civil society organisations (CSOs) from Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe on digital rights advocacy and campaigning. The training, which was conducted February 6-7, 2024, in Dakar,…

Meet the Latest Grantees of the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF)

Announcement |

Round seven of the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF) awarded grants to seven organisations to implement initiatives focused on digital inclusion, women’s safety online, cyber security and digital resilience. In Tanzania, Omuka Hub is working to raise the online visibility of women politicians and push for reforms related to online violence against women in the context of the Political…