August 2024 Newsletter
Dear Esteemed Reader,
As August draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect on the month dedicated to celebrating and empowering our youth. Throughout the past weeks, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has honoured the creativity, resilience, and potential of young people, including marking the International Youth Day on August 12th. This celebration served as a reminder of the role youth play in shaping the African continent’s future.
In this edition of our newsletter, we look back at the impactful stories, activities, publications and achievements made in August. Together, we continue our commitment to empowering the next generation, ensuring their contributions are recognised and their visions for the future are supported.
The Paradigm Initiative Team
Key Highlights
• PIN denounces internet disruption in Nigeria
• Senior Manager dissects META’s $220 million fine
• Media Parley on Online Platform Regulation and Accountability in Nigeria
• International Youth Day - From Clicks to Progress
• PIN launches calls for Fifth Short Film
• DRIF25 Call for vendors
• Policy Brief alert: Digital IDs in Angola, C.A.R and D.R.C
LIFE Legacy breaks new bounds
PIN commemorates 2024 World Wide Web Day
On August 1st, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) joined the global community to commemorate the 2024 edition of the World Wide Web Day. It was an opportunity to celebrate the innovation that connects us all, breaking down barriers and bridging global gaps. Despite remarkable strides in international bandwidth and domain registrations, infrastructural gaps, limited awareness, and policy obstacles are key impediments to digital inclusivity. PIN’s Programmes Officer, Sani Suleiman highlights these gaps and recommendations in a recently launched Africa DNS market report by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Read the full analysis here
Paradigm Initiative’s flagship LIFE Legacy programme is now operational in 10 countries across the African continent - Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The LIFE Legacy initiative is a digital inclusion programme that equips young Africans living in under-served communities with demand-driven ICT and Entrepreneurship skills. For an idea that started at a Cybercafe in Ajegunle, in Lagos state Nigeria, we have come a long way, thanks to the vision and direction of the leadership team and the immense contribution and dedication of the PIN team.
PIN denounces Internet disruption in Nigeria
Early this month, Paradigm Initiative joined multiple civil society organisa-
tions in urging Nigeria’s Federal Government and Local Governments to take responsibility for their roles in the #EndBadGovernance protests. Through the call, we reiterated the fact that peaceful protest is a legitimate form of expression enshrined in international human rights instruments. In a subsequent press release, PIN added its voice to that of others’ to denounce Internet disruptions recorded in the wake of the protests. The action constituted an unacceptable breach of established norms and standards under regional and international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a State party.
Thought Leadership
Adeboye dissects META’s $220 million fine
fine on META, the parent company of WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, for alleged violation of local laws has sparked a critical conversation about platform governance in Nigeria. While governments globally are moving to regulate digital platforms to address perceived harms and enhance state oversight, this agenda is often muddied by national security concerns, the outsized influence of tech giants, and domestic politics. In Nigeria, the fine levied against META has spotlighted the complex and often opaque relationship between the government and digital platforms. Among the accusations were claims that META had appropriated the data of Nigerian users without their consent, abused its market dominance by imposing exploitative privacy policies, and treated Nigerian users unfairly compared to those in other jurisdictions with similar regulations. Senior Manager, Grants and Programmes Strategy, Adeboye Adegoke contends that this case is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of increasing governmental scrutiny and regulation of digital platforms in Nigeria. Read the full article here
The recent decision by the Nigerian government to impose a $220,000,000
International Youth Day - From Clicks to Progress
August 12th marked this year’s International Youth Day with the theme ‘Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.’ Paradigm Initiative (PIN) was not left out. Our Programmes Officer, East Africa, Miriam Beatrice Wanjiru joined the Youth Serving Organisations Consortium - a network of over 20 youth groups, youth-focused, and youth-serving organisations working nationally and in the community - to mark the commemoration. Speaking on the Techno-Democracy panel, she shared insights into how technology shapes law, human rights, and governance.
On August 14th, Miriam participated in the Women and Youth in Democracy for Civic Engagement (WYDE) Programme’s Siasa Cafe in Nairobi. As speaker, she shared her experience with political reform and the challeng-
es in advocating for change, as well as the existing dangers and opportunities in the digital space that inhibit/ promote democracy and the role of youth creativity and innovation in promoting peace and justice. Also commemorating the International Youth Day, the two-hour event touched on the current state of democratic institutions, the opportunities in the digital space to amplify youth voices, and the ways to harness youth creativity and innovation to promote democracy and human rights.
Bridgette partakes in AIRA workshop in Pretoria, South Africa
Last week, PIN’s Partnerships and Engagements Officer, Bridgette Ndlovu joined other representatives from member organisations of the African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA)) in a capacity building workshop for African digital rights civil society organisations on engagement with the African
human rights system, offered by the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria. The course was intended to enhance the capacity of member organisations to advocate more effectively for digital rights and broader human rights. It covered the United Nations Human Rights System, the European Human Rights System and the African Human Rights Systems.
Policy Brief alert: Digital IDs in Angola, C.A.R and D.R.C
Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), illustrating their potential to enhance identity-related services. A digital identity is created for identification and authentication both offline and online enhancing, among others, access to digitised government systems or commercial services and mobile banking services. While digital identification systems or services (digital IDs) present benefits, they also have the potential to alienate those without access to digital technologies and to pose a threat to those whose data is captured by them. Our latest Policy Brief highlights the importance of safeguarding human rights in using and deploying digital identity systems and assesses digital IDs in the said countries. Download and read more.
Events
Digital Rights Workshop for Law Enforcement and Prosecutor Agencies
PIN’s latest Policy Brief presents an assessment of digital IDs in Angola,
From September 3rd to 4th, Paradigm Initiative, in collaboration with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice, will hold a capacity-building programme for Law Enforcement agencies with a view to
equip the officers to ‘imbibe’ these lessons, impart them to their colleagues and ensure they are practised/enforced in their daily interactions with civilians. The workshop aims to enhance understanding and application of Internet governance principles among judiciary, law enforcement, and prosecutors; strengthen institutional capacity to address Internet-related issues, thereby fostering a secure and rights-respecting digital environment in Nigeria; and establish a network of informed and empowered governmental officials capable of advocating for effective Internet governance policies and practices. On September 5th, PIN will host the Digital Policy Engagement Series (DiPES), an initiative designed to facilitate in-depth dialogue and analysis on critical legislative documents that shape the digital landscape.
ration with Youth Environmental Justice and Gender Equality (YOGE) and support from Paradigm Initiative will on September 4th, 2024, conduct a capacity-building session for women councillors and young politicians on digital security and data protection. Slated in Tanzania, the session is expected to bring together 35 participants from Tabora, Singida, and Dodoma regions as well as members of the press. The main objective of the session is to increase the number of women leaders and young politicians with skills and knowledge in data protection and digital security. The session is also meant to help women leaders and young female politicians raise their self-esteem so that they can stand as candidates and acquire leadership roles during the upcoming local and general elections. During the session, participants will be trained on ICT, safe internet use, and on how to utilise the media and technology to promote their quest for leadership positions and advance their engagement with the community.
Media Parley on Online Platform Regulation and Accountability in Nigeria
The Tanzania Media for Community Development (TAMCODE) in collabo-
On August 15th, PIN hosted a media parley in Abuja, Nigeria, to primarily
Digital Rights Training in Tanzania
engage the press on issues surrounding online platform regulation in Nigeria. The parley explored the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital landscape, examining regulatory frameworks, and proposing recommendations for a more rights-oriented approach. It was a chance to highlight the organisation’s position regarding the $220,000 fine levied on META in Nigeria, as well as discuss the delicate balance between regulating platforms and protecting fundamental rights, the relevance of international human rights standards and best practices for online platform regulation in Nigeria, and proffer mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in platform governance.
DRIF24 figures are in!
Between April 23rd and 25th, 2024, over 6,000 messages were exchanged through Whova at the 2024 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF24), more than five times the average recorded at Whova events. DRIF24 welcomed attendees from 40 countries, while delegates from an additional 21 countries registered to follow the event online. Ninety-six sessions were hosted, cutting across panel sessions, workshops, launches, exhibitions, Day 0 events, and lightning talks. The comprehensive DRIF24 report is now available and contains interesting facts you won’t want to miss. Check out the report here, as well as DRIF24 Community Recommendations
Londa 2023 Twitter Space Series
Every year, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) monitors the environment, documents violations, and reports on the state of digital rights and inclusion in Africa. The report is christened Londa, a Zulu word which is a call to action to protect or defend the digital rights and inclusion environment in Africa. Londa 2023, which is the latest organisation’s report highlights issues cutting across 26 African countries.
To further amplify the report, we are running an eight-week Twitter Space Series.On August 23rd, we hosted an enriching discussion focusing on reports from Gambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. You can listen to the session here. Stay in tune for other sessions by keeping tabs on our social media platforms.
Londa 2023 Twitter Space Series
Every year, Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
To further amplify the report, we are running an eight-week Twitter Space Series.On August 23rd, we hosted an enriching discussion focusing on reports from Gambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. You can listen to the session here. Stay in tune for other sessions by keeping tabs on our social media platforms.
Digital Policy Engagement Series (DiPES) Abuja
On September 5th, PIN will host the Digital Policy Engagement Series (DiPES), an initiative designed to facilitate in-depth dialogue and analysis on critical legislative documents that shape the digital landscape. If you are based in Abuja, Nigeria, register via this link to attend the session. Interested participants outside Nigeria are monitors the environment, documents violations, and reports on the state of digital rights and inclusion in Africa. The report is christened Londa, a Zulu word which is a call to action to protect or defend the digital rights and inclusion environment in Africa. Londa 2023, which is the latest organisation’s report highlights issues cutting across 26 African countries.
encouraged to indicate their interest for virtual participation in the registration form.
Opportunities
PIN launches calls for fifth short film
We are now accepting submissions from interested scriptwriters and proposals from interested producers for our Fifth Short Film to be inspired by the 2023 Londa report. Through the calls, Paradigm Initiative seeks to enhance the quality of our output, offering distinct opportunities for creative minds to contribute to the cause. Submissions and proposals will be accepted until September 15th, 2024. Kindly share with your networks.
Call for DRIF25 Vendors
We will be hosting the 12th Edition of our Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum
(DRIF) in Lusaka, Zambia come 2025. As preparations for the event commence, we are seeking vendors who we will collaborate with to give us excellent services. The list includes Event Managers (event conceptualisation, design & sound management), photographers, videographers, translators (French, Swahili, Portuguese), sign language interpreters, flight ticketing agents, an independent internet supplier, and rapporteurs. See details here.
Support the PIN cause
Paradigm Initiative has been a driving force for positive change in African communities since 2007. With our roots in Nigeria and operations across Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe and beyond, we have impacted the livelihoods of more than 150,000 under-served young Africans through digital opportunities and protection of their rights online. Our vision towards a rights-respecting world is resolute, and so is our focus on influencing policies in digital rights and inclusion while advocating for a free and affordable Internet. Visit our website to learn how you can support us.
Thank you for staying with us. We hope you had an amazing time reading. Please leave any feedback at media.enquiry@paradigmhq.org