Paradigm Initiative, PIN, has launched ‘Ripoti’, a groundbreaking platform geared towards the protection of digital rights of all African citizens.
The platform’s aim is to fight the worrying trend of increasing digital rights violations across the African continent was launched on Friday by PIN, during the closing session of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum 2021.
Ripoti –the first of its kind on the continent—allows citizens across Africa to report violations of their digital rights, then connects them with experts who can help them seek justice.
Speaking during the launch, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Director of Paradigm Initiative, said, “Digital rights are just as fundamental as all other human rights.
“We have seen a worrying increase in digital rights violations across Africa.
“Until now, citizens have had no easy way to protect their rights by tracking and reporting these violations. Ripoti empowers them to do that now.”
He further stated that digital world has become a critical space for economic activity, access to emergency services, and the exercise of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Sesan however decried the growing instances of cyber bullying, online gender violence, internet censorship, or the illegal use or accessing of an internet user’s information, a trend emboldened by health surveillance during the pandemic.
He added that with the Covid-19 pandemic pushing many more people online, many of the vices and violations that used to exist only offline have now started to crop up in the digital space, including violence against women, the illegal use of user information, the violation of e-consumer rights, and more.
Boye Adegoke, Senior program manager at Paradigm Initiative, said “For many years, Paradigm Initiative has actively documented cases of digital rights violations and offered litigation support to victims.
“Eventually, we started to get overwhelmed by the number of violations we had to monitor.
“It became clear that we needed to create a communal, strategic, and systemic response to these many incidents of digital rights violations.
“RIPOTI is the answer, and we’re excited to share it with people across Africa.”
Digital rights violations in Africa: A worrying trend
A growing number of Africans are using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) on a regular basis, which has made digital technologies critical to the enjoyment of their rights and improvement of their livelihoods.
However, many governments have taken steps to undermine internet access and even encroach on civic participation and the right to freedom of expression online. Some countries have also cracked down on human rights defenders or journalists who challenge the state authorities.
∙ In Ethiopia, the internet has repeatedly been cut off during times of social unrest. The same phenomenon has been reported in Cameroon.
∙ In Nigeria in January 2021, a news website known for being critical of the government was blocked, allegedly on government orders.
∙ On the eve of the Ugandan general elections in January 2021, the country’s internet was shut down for weeks. The president justified the shutdown by saying that it was in retaliation for Facebook removing some pro-government accounts.
∙ In Tanzania, telecom companies in the country were ordered to suspend bulk SMS, bulk communications and individual messages with keywords”CHADEMA”, “LISSU” until after the elections in a bid to weaken the opposition
∙ In Burundi, on election day Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram and Yahoo mail were all made inaccessible. Authorities cut access to social media networks.
“Citizens’ rights to express themselves online and offline and gather and disseminate information and ideas are critical to the fate of democracy in Africa,” said Sesan of Paradigm Initiative.
“Not only that, but the absence of data privacy and protection, illegal and blanket surveillance, internet shutdowns, and other rights violations all impact negatively on democracy and economic development. The centrality of digital rights makes them the business of all citizens.”
