Access to Information

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…

Tanzania Ministry of ICT to Co-Host the 2023 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa

Announcement |

The Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology of the United Republic of Tanzania has announced that it will co-host the 2023 edition of Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica23). The move is in line with the country’s digital transformation and wider digitalisation efforts.

“We are pleased to support such an important event in Africa. In recent years, we…

Across East Africa, Big Brother Is Watching Your Every Move

By The East African |

What you need to know:

Concerns are growing about who else has access to people’s information, and how they are using it.

Motorists driving across any of the major roads in Uganda, or across the capital Kampala, will not fail to notice the white gantries overhead from which CCTV cameras hang, quietly observing and recording proceedings.
The first…

In Rwanda, Voice Technology Innovation Helps Fight COVID

By Mozilla |
Rwandans have a new tool in the fight against COVID: Mbaza, a chatbot that provides timely and accurate information about the pandemic in the Kinyarwanda, French, and English languages.
Mbaza is based out of the Rwanda Biomedical Center, and is a collaboration between Mozilla Common Voice, the Rwandan start-up Digital Umuganda, the Government of Rwanda, and the German Development Cooperation, or “Deutsche…

Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2021 (FIFAfrica21) Set For September: Propose a Session!

Announcement |

On September 28-30, 2021, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) will host the eighth edition of the annual Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica). The Forum is a landmark event that convenes a wide spectrum of stakeholders from across the internet governance and digital rights arenas to deliberate on gaps, concerns and opportunities…

No Extension to POPI Act Grace Period, Says Info Regulator

By Admire Moyo |

The one-year grace period given to South African organisations to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) will not be extended.

So said advocate Pansy Tlakula, chairperson of the Information Regulator, in an e-mail interview with ITWeb.

According to Tlakula, the Information Regulator is in the process of making final preparations for SA’s data privacy law that is…

Why Access to Information is Essential for Democratic Elections in Africa

By Dunia Mekonnen Tegegn |

The importance of access to information in the electoral process and for democratic governance      is documented in the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Governance, and other sub-regional treaties and standards.

Without access to reliable information during the electoral process, it is difficult for citizens to eloquently exercise their right to make an informed choice. For elections…

How can something so right be so wrong? Right to Information legislation is failing women in Africa

By Reyhana Masters |
In her contribution to IFEX’s series marking International Women’s Day, Regional Editor Reyhana Masters looks at how women are disadvantaged when it comes to accessing public information.
Access to information is considered essential to the right of freedom of expression in the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa. Right…

Stakeholder Submission to the UN Human Rights Council on Digital Rights in The Gambia

By Ashnah Kalemera |

In November 2019, The Gambia will be coming up for its third cycle review under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. Former President Yahya Jammeh, before his ouster in 2017, was renowned for his utter disregard for constitutional rights, once stating publicly that he would “not compromise or sacrifice the peace, security, stability, dignity, and the well-being of…

Ghana’s Parliament Still Drags on with Passage of Right to Information Bill

Nigeria News Update |

The high expectations of millions of Ghanaians that the long-awaited Right to Information Bill (RTI) could be passed before Parliament goes on recess this weekend may be dashed. This follows a disclosure by the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, that the Bill may not be passed before the House rises.

Speaking at a Meet-the-Press event in…