Dear Reader,
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has been a driving force for positive change in African communities since 2007. With presence in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, partnerships in 28 African countries and a vision towards a digitally inclusive and rights-respecting world, our journey has led to building trust, experience and a strong organisational culture that empowers youth to thrive in the digital age. We have also influenced policies and laws, convened forums, developed digital toolkits, produced reports and award-winning short films, as well as strategic litigation leading to victorious court cases. This video contains a summarised highlight of our work.
Your support for Paradigm Initiative is therefore an investment in a brighter, more inclusive future for all, and we request you to join us in making a difference today by supporting us in our mission to create positive change. Your financial support will fund PIN’s programmes, projects and initiatives. Every contribution, no matter how big or small, can make a substantial impact. You can donate here.
Here are other ways in which you can support our organisation’s mission:
Spread the Word:
Share the organisation’s story and mission with your friends, family, partners and on social media. The more people know about PIN, the greater the impact it can have.
Key Highlights
• Session proposals now open for 2026 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF26)
• Leadership, legacy and lessons from the PIN book
• Standing with the press in the face of adversity
Advocate:
Become an advocate for digital rights in your community. Educate others about the importance of digital rights and the work PIN is doing to protect them.
• PIN clinches Man of the Year and Tech Leader of the Year awards
• Safeguarding Digital Rights in Uganda’s 2026 Elections
Standing with the press in the face of adversity
LIFE Legacy expands to Uganda
Hope grows where opportunity is given:
Our LIFE Legacy project means many things for many beneficiaries. For Hawoo, a young Kenyan girl, it meant a place of escape from the pressures of an early marriage. After completing her training through our partner, Kijiji Connect, she volunteered to stay at the hub and guide others. Hawoo later earned a place in the UN Women Africa’s Girls Can Code Initiative by developing a prototype to help rural women access justice via mobile phones.
Like Hawoo and other Kenyan beneficiaries, dozens of young Ugandans are now set to benefit from the LIFE Legacy programme following the sealing of a partnership between Paradigm Initiative and the Maendeleo Foundation this past week. This further expansion into East Africa reflects our commitment to positively impact the lives of underserved youth and marks the 12th country for the initiative across Africa.
Discover more of what we were up to in November.
On Monday, November 3rd, PIN reiterated the organisation’s commitment to stand by journalists across the continent despite the obstacles they face in executing their duties. ‘Gbenga Sesan, our Executive Director, was a speaker at a webinar, “Silencing the Messenger: How Impunity Threatens Democracy,” organised by NMT Media Foundation in collaboration with Stellenbosch University’s Department of Journalism. The session was held as part of activities marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, commemorated annually on 2nd November
Walking the talk at the Global DPI summit
On November 6 and 7, our Partnerships and Engagements Officer, Bridgette Ndlovu was at the 2nd Global DPI Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, alongside other members of the Global South Alliance. Hosted by the UN
Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET), Co-Develop, International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and The World Bank, this year’s edition was themed “DPI in Practice: Implementing Tomorrow’s Digital Society Today.” The summit brought together leaders from government, the tech community, and civil society to explore how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can drive inclusive development globally.
PIN takes the digital rights gospel to Lesotho
On November 3 and 4, Paradigm Initiative partnered with LesRen to host a Digital Rights Academy and Digitalks event in Maseru, Lesotho, spearheaded by Chiti Mutati, PIN’s Southern Africa Programmes Officer. Both events focused on the country’s cyber and data protection legislation, as well as the foundation and priorities they set for the country’s digital transformation. Digitalks featured a screening of our latest short film, Whispers in the Wires, a presentation of the Londa country findings, and a policy engagement with government actors.
PIN clinches Man of the Year and Tech Leader of the Year awards
‘Gbenga Sesan, our Executive Director, was recognised as Nigeria’s Tech Person of the
Year at the 5th Frontier Discourse Annual Public Lecture Series & Awards by Pacesetter Frontier Magazine. ‘Gbenga was among 16 awardees, recognised for outstanding contributions to national development across diverse sectors on 11th November, 2025, at the Nigerian National Merit Award House, Abuja. In the same light, our Senior Manager for Partnerships and Engagements, Thobekile Matimbe, was named finalist in the Technology Leader of the Year Award at the Pan-African Women Empowerment Network - PAWENpreneur Awards 2025. She was recognised for her inspiring work, leadership, and impact, which stood out among the many exceptional nominations received this year.
Events
Session proposals now open for DRIF26
The Call for Session Proposals for the 2026 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF26) is now officially open. The Forum will take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from April 1416, 2026, under the theme ‘Building Inclusive and Resilient Digital Futures.’ We are pleased to invite proposals for in-person sessions that seek to address the event theme and advance digital rights and inclusion in the Global South.
Session proposals must demonstrate tangible
outcomes and be innovative in nature. Check out the details and submit your session proposal now. We can’t wait to hear from you.
A week of impact in Ghana
From November 17 to 20, PIN hosted a series of engagements on digital rights and inclusion in Accra, Ghana. From the Digital Rights Judiciary Workshop to the Digital Policy Engagement Series (DiPES) and the Digital Rights and Inclusion Board Learning Experience (DRIBLE) Campus Tour, we worked with diverse stakeholders, including legislators, youth and other digital rights activists. In collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Ghana, we hosted the Digital Rights Judiciary Workshop themed, “Upholding Justice in the Digital Age: Strengthening Judicial and Human Rights Capacity on Digital Rights and Internet Governance.” Through the workshop, we supported judicial officers and human rights practitioners in exploring how to protect freedom of expression, privacy, and data rights in an evolving digital landscape. See details here.
Safeguarding Digital Rights in Uganda’s 2026 Elections
In just over a month, Ugandans will head to the polls for the general elections. The process is expected to be impacted by multiple factors, including the internet. While the digital factor
has its advantages, including providing opportunities for civic participation, it is not without its own challenges and risks to electoral integrity. To address these risks, Paradigm Initiative, in partnership with the Centre for Multilateral Affairs (CfMA), hosted the Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Monitor (DREAM) on 19th November. It was an opportunity to secure public commitments from regulators, platforms, and media to keep the internet open and safe, provide a practical incident-response toolkit, the Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Monitors Toolkit (DREAMT) for observers and monitors, and train CSOs, journalists, and election observers to document and respond to digital rights violations, including online harassment, shutdowns, and data misuse.
Strengthening Kenya’s digital future through digital rights-based legislation
As East Africa’s leading digital hub, Kenya enjoys multiple advantages socially, politically and economically. On the downside, however, it continues to grapple with harms such as
cyberbullying, misinformation, and other online perils. It is for this reason that on the 14th of November, Paradigm Initiative undertook an engagement with Members of Parliament in Mombasa, Kenya, on the theme ‘Strengthening Kenya’s Digital Future through Rights-Based Legislation.’ Together with Mzalendo Trust and Internews, the retreat aimed to engage legislators in awareness sessions to raise awareness about the importance of digital rights, identify current gaps in legal frameworks, and address emerging threats posed by AIdriven disinformation and synthetic media.
PIN and partners inspire legislative review of Nigeria’s Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill
On November 20 and 21, Paradigm Initiative, in partnership with Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), brought together lawmakers, experts, and civil society to re-examine and strengthen Nigeria’s Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill. The retreat’s goal was to inform renewed advocacy, updating the draft and discussing a coordinated parliamentary strategy to reintroduce and advance the Digital Rights and Freedoms Bill. With Artificial Intelligence, data-driven governance, and online harms rapidly reshaping the digital environment, the review marked a decisive step toward a modern, rights-respecting digital future. See details.
