Sunday, 10th December 2023: As countries across the world commemorate Human Rights Day, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a leading organisation advocating for digital rights and inclusion, has today unveiled its 4th short film- ‘Undersight.’
The unveiling of the film by PIN marks a pivotal moment in this year’s global rights awareness, boosting collaborative efforts towards upholding fundamental rights and freedoms globally. This year’s commemoration, under the theme Freedom, Equality and Justice for All, marks the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The movie is inspired by Paradigm Initiative’s annual 2022 Londa report, which spotlights the state of digital rights and inclusion across 24 African countries. ‘Undersight’ follows the journey of Oma, a brilliant computer programmer who creates revolutionary data collation software, which is in high demand.
The other short films the organisation has released are Training, Focus and Finding Diana.
Training Day, the first of the short films, is based on the organisation’s 2019 Digital Rights in Africa report. It features the story of Jude, whose quest for work takes an unexpected turn. His first day at a tech firm takes an unprecedented turn, leaving him in a deep moral dilemma.
Focus tells the story of Mark, a budding young man who works for an enterprise facilitating financial pay across Africa. Caught up in his world and nonchalant about happenings around him, he soon experiences first-hand the dark side of internet shutdowns, censorship, surveillance, and cyberattacks. He learns the benefit of advocating for others, regardless of personal interest in their cause. The short film is inspired by the 2020 Londa report.
Based on the findings of the Londa 2021 report, Finding Diana is about Aisha Cooker, a 28-year-old journalist who stumbled upon a collection of personal data belonging to millions of citizens, including a governor she is investigating. In her quest for a better society, Aisha exposes the official, a move that puts her life in danger.
Screened at various events and platforms, PIN’s short films have received extensive feedback from viewers who have cited the creativity, relevance, and impact they possess. The short films have also received multiple accolades and awards, with the latest being a Bronze recognition for Finding Diana at the 2023 Summit Creative Awards.
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About Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) connects under-served young Africans with digital opportunities and ensures the protection of their rights. We have worked in communities across Nigeria since 2007 and across Africa since 2017, building experience, community trust, and an organisational culture that positions us as a leading non-governmental organisation in ICT for Development and Digital Rights on the continent.
Across our regional offices in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and beyond, we have impacted youth with improved livelihoods through our digital inclusion and digital rights programs.
The organisation’s programs include Life Skills. ICT. Financial Readiness. Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Training Program, a digital readiness workshop for girls, and a Life at Schools Club Program. PIN has also built online platforms that educate and serve as safe spaces for reporting digital rights violations. These mediums are in the form of reports, short films, and educational online resources, including Ayeta, Londa, and Ripoti.