Mask or muzzle: The impact of COVID-19 measures on digital rights in Kenya
Publications
29 June 2020
When we first heard of COVID-19 and how it was ravaging Europe, we did not think that it would have a great impact on our laws, especially digital rights. The expectation was more on the government imposing limitations on freedom of assembly, to enforce social distancing, and on the right to privacy, since contact tracing involves sharing people’s personal information with third parties.
Upon the…
Reflections on COVID-19 policy responses in Uganda and the relevance of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms for promoting women’s rights online
Publications
29 June 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown why the protection of human rights online is more important now than ever before. The internet has been a gateway for access to critical information, services and opportunities available to many people for the first time, as noted by the GSMA mobile gender gap report.
With more than half of the world’s population under lockdown conditions, more women and girls are using the…
Tackling gender-based cyber violence against women and girls in Malawi amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
Publications
28 June 2020
Gender-based violence against women and girls remains a global threat to the public health of women and girls during emergencies. As the COVID-19 pandemic deepens the economic and social stress, coupled with restricted movement and social isolation measures, gender-based violence against women and girls is increasing exponentially. Prior studies suggest that one in three women worldwide have experienced some form…
Advancing Digital Rights Amidst Covid-19 in Uganda
Publications
25 June 2020
Uganda registered its first case of Covid-19 on the 21st March 2020. In order to curb the spread of the virus, different measures have been put in place. These include: restricting movements and crowds; partial lockdown; mandatory quarantine of suspects for 14 days; school closures, a public and private transport ban; a mandatory curfew; contact tracing initiatives; and the closure of borders and airports. While…
Compulsory e-learning in Namibia’s public schools: A commendable idea marred by the digital divide?
Publications
24 June 2020
Like much of the rest of the world, Namibia too came under a total economic and social shutdown, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. A national state of emergency was declared, and the nation joined the rest of the world in a sit and wait-it-out situation. With this situation, citizens experienced a sheer dilemma in every area of life – at a personal level, economic and survival matters, as well as their health…
COVID-19 exposes the damage of the ex-regime’s empowerment policy on ICTs and the impact of US sanctions against Sudan
Publications
24 June 2020
For decades, the internet has not reached all areas in Sudan; this year, out of a total population of 43 million, only 13.38 million are internet users. This is evidence that neither the previous nor current rulers made real efforts to implement the principles of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms, such as citizens’ rights to access information on the internet, and that internet access should…