Paradigm Initiative is proud to be a participating institution at the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) 2023 

The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) is a landmark event that convenes a spectrum of stakeholders from across the internet governance and online rights arenas in Africa and beyond to deliberate on gaps, concerns and opportunities for advancing privacy, free expression, non-discrimination and the free flow of information online.

Currently, there are numerous developments taking place across the continent which have a direct impact on how individuals and, indeed, states access, store and engage with digital information. Many of the decisions are likely to have a critical impact on the future of internet use in Africa; thus, critical discussions are imperative to shape these prospects.

The Forum offers a platform for the critical engagement of diverse stakeholders in identifying the most pressing internet rights-related issues and challenges that have to be addressed at national and regional levels. It also identifies opportunities for bringing the debate on the importance of human rights online at national, regional and global fora and aims to identify effective ways to engage with them.

FIFAfrica puts internet freedom on the agenda of key actors, including African policymakers, regulators, human rights defenders, law enforcement representatives, and the media, paving the way for broader work on advancing online rights in Africa and promoting the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance.

Our first appearance at the meet comes up tomorrow, September 26, as our Partnerships and Engagement Officer Bridgette Ndlovu joins others from African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA) member institutions. She will contribute to subcommittee meetings with the Policy, Capacity building, Communications and joint sessions on how civil society can more effectively engage with tech companies.

On September 27, our Programs Officer – East Africa, Miriam Beatrice, will moderate the Internet Shutdowns Academy session. The session is aimed at mapping out pathways for meaningful collaboration between civil society and policymakers around the issue of internet shutdowns, particularly those on the sidelines of significant events such as elections.

On September 28, we dive deeper as our Senior Manager and Programs Officer, Thobekile Matimbe and Miriam Beatrice respectively, will be part of the discussion representing PIN in a Panel Discussion on Social Media 4 Peace for Africa. The UNESCO project is aimed at designing actions/interventions that would shape policy and conversations about misinformation and disinformation.