Tanzanians have been urged to utilize the growth of the digital communication industry to facilitate economic growth.

Speaking at the opening of the three-day workshop conducted by a non-government organization that advocates for digital rights, Zain Foundation, Miss Nyanda Shuli, the Commissioner in Tanzania’s Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (THBUB) insisted that that workshop comes at an ideal time when the country is experiencing the surge in the digital communication sector as well as e-commerce.

“Tanzania is currently experiencing a fast-paced advancement into the digital era as there are many people who are now using the internet,” said Miss Shuli, adding that the government is willing to create a conducive environment for easy access to digital rights including creating a Center for ICT.

The workshop was conducted in Dar es Salaam in collaboration between Zaina Foundation and CIPESA, an organization dealing with ICT Policies in East Africa, from 28th to 30th September 2021, as part of the Celebrating Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFA21). The participants took part in learning laws and regulations governing digital communication at the national level, region, and international levels.

Shuli urged the participants to lead the efforts in voicing their recommendations to the government that will help in creating better policies for ICT in the future. The Haki Maendeleo CEO, Wilfredy Warioba said that the workshop aimed at educating the stakeholders who will be advocating the society to change how they use digital platforms.

“Much of the activities are now conducted online. We feel that there is a need for people to know how important it is to understand their role in the digital era,” said Warioba. On the other hand, the CEO of a non-government organization, Human Dignity and Environmental Care Foundation, Sara Pima, said that the workshop helped the participants understand their limits in using digital platforms.

“We want the society to understand their rights in the digital platforms, what they should and should not do so as to have the right of access to information,” said Sara. FIFA21 is an online platform that includes non-government stakeholders in Africa to create a better environment for digital platforms.

By Imani Henrick | Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellow | Paradigm Initiative.