Africa
PARADIGM Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise working to advance digital rights and inclusion in Africa, has concluded a three-day Digital Policy Workshop for Tanzanian Digital Rights Stakeholders from July 7 to July 9. Over 100 people applied to attend the workshop with over 65 persons selected to participate.
Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, chief operating officer, by Paradigm Initiative, said the workshop designed to introduce participants to the basic concepts of digital rights and the existing policy, legal and institutional framework in Tanzania. The workshop specifically examined Tanzania’s Cybercrimes Act and the Electronic and Postal Communications Act, EPOCA.
On his part, Ekai Nabenyo, programme officer, Paradigm Initiative, said it was evident that there was an urgent need to create an empowered civil society and digital rights community for the Republic of Tanzania to be able to safeguard its citizens’ digital rights. He said the civil society should be empowered to shape and dictate digital policy in the country.
The participants urged the government of Tanzania to respect the rights of its citizens and provide the necessary platform for civil society to oversee government adherence to its human rights obligations as election dates draw closer. They also expressed concerns that the current digital policy environment provides a fertile platform for human rights violations and a tendency for impunity on the part of state officials.
Adeboye Adegoke, senior programme manager, Paradigm Initiative, said: “As a digital rights advocacy organization, we endeavour to continue to closely monitor the state of digital rights in Tanzania. We shall continue to work with other stakeholders to build the capacity of civil society groups to be able to competently influence, protect and safeguard digital rights in Tanzania and in the region, through similar interventions.”
The end goal of the workshop is to ensure that stakeholders in Tanzania that already understand and follow current trends in digital rights, Tanzania civil society groups, and others can leverage the expertise of Paradigm Initiative and its partners to be able to work together with the regulatory authority and the Parliament in Tanzania towards improving the state of digital rights in the country.
The participants agreed to work together in order to present a united and formidable force in its advocacy engagements in Tanzania.
– Jul. 17, 2020 @ 17:35 GMT |
Tags: Paradigm Initiative concludes 3-day Digital Policy Workshop in Tanzania
