By CIPESA Writer |
Africa’s digital rights landscape is evolving rapidly, shaped by new legislation, emerging technologies, and recurring threats to civic space. CIPESA has remained actively engaged in the documentation of these developments including through the annual State of Internet Freedom in Africa reports and through broader programming. We have submitted recommendations to international bodies and to governments, filed legal interventions, and provided expert commentary to advance internet freedom, digital inclusion, and democratic governance.
Below is an overview of our key submissions and commentaries in recent months.
Engaging Global Bodies on Technology Governance
Submission on How the WHO Digital Health Strategy Should Govern Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): In March 2026, CIPESA submitted recommendations to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa on the development of the Global Digital Health Strategy for 2028–2033, urging that the strategy be anchored on human rights, equity, and accountability.
The submission covered seven core areas including DPI for health; Health Data Governance; AI in healthcare; Interoperability; Equity and Inclusion; Stronger Governance; and Sustainable Financing.
CIPESA warned that most AI systems used in African healthcare are trained on non-African datasets, increasing risks of inaccurate diagnoses and exclusions and called for mandatory “explainability” standards, equity impact assessments, and domestic investment in digital health infrastructure.
Engaging Global Bodies on Technology Governance
Submission on How the WHO Digital Health Strategy Should Govern Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): In March 2026, CIPESA submitted recommendations to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa on the development of the Global Digital Health Strategy for 2028–2033, urging that the strategy be anchored on human rights, equity, and accountability.
The submission covered seven core areas including DPI for health; Health Data Governance; AI in healthcare; Interoperability; Equity and Inclusion; Stronger Governance; and Sustainable Financing.
CIPESA warned that most AI systems used in African healthcare are trained on non-African datasets, increasing risks of inaccurate diagnoses and exclusions and called for mandatory “explainability” standards, equity impact assessments, and domestic investment in digital health infrastructure.
Recommendations to the OHCHR: In April 2025, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 58/23 mandating the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to conduct consultations to assess the risks created by new and emerging technologies to HRDs and to identify effective practices to address the risks that digital technologies pose to human rights defenders (HRDs) and to identify best practices for their protection. In response, CIPESA submitted comments and recommendations on due diligence and improved responses to digital technology-related risks faced by human rights defenders.
CIPESA made a submission to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s initiative under Resolution 58/23 to examine the risks that digital technologies pose to human rights defenders (HRDs) and to identify best practices for their protection in Africa. The submission provides developments and insights into the legal and legislative measures and their impact on HRDs, digital communications and the associated risks, tech-facilitated attacks on HRDs including women HRDs and company responses to legal and policy practices in relation to the work of HRDs. Further inputs were made on AI and its effects on work and operations of HRDs and the challenges faced by CSOs and companies in pursuing progressive corporate policies, processes and initiatives. The submission fronted critical recommendations for consideration by companies to improve identification, assessment and prevention of risks posed to HRDs’ work and safety on their platforms and services.
Engaging National Governments on Digital Legislation
Concerns Raised on Zambia’s Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Laws: As Zambia navigates the wake of the RightsCon cancellation, it does so amidst a looming election.
CIPESA, alongside Bloggers of Zambia, have previously submitted detailed analysis to the Zambian Parliament raising human rights concerns about the Cyber Security Act, 2025 and the Cyber Crimes Act, 2025 which were enacted in April 2025.
The submission highlighted broadly worded definitions, expansive surveillance powers, weak oversight mechanisms, and the reintroduction of criminal defamation. Combined, these pose risks that can be weaponised against government critics, journalists, and online activists ahead of the 2026 general elections. Despite these concerns, the laws were passed with minimal revisions.
CIPESA continues to call on Zambia to align its cyber laws with the African Charter, the AU Convention on Cybercrime and Personal Data Protection, and the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.
Commentary on Zimbabwe National AI Strategy: The Southern African state recently adopted its National AI Strategy 2026–2030 (AI strategy) to guide its digital technology and transformation. The strategy aims to accelerate development, enhance industrialisation, and improve service delivery in sectors such as health, finance, agriculture, education and public administration. The strategy also emphasises building local data infrastructure as opposed to relying on foreign data storage infrastructure while promoting an AI governance approach grounded in Ubuntu, human rights, accountability, transparency and inclusivity. However, an important question is whether Zimbabwe’s approach offers useful lessons for other African countries developing national AI strategies. Find our commentary here.
Submission to the White Paper on ICT Tax Reduction in Uganda: A year ago, CIPESA submitted a position paper to the National Task Team on Enhancement of Government Revenue from the ICT Sector at the Uganda Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. The paper benchmarked Uganda’s ICT sector tax policies, licensing fees, and regulatory regimes against those of Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
The submission argued that taxes on digital devices and connectivity infrastructure may be undermining the growth of Uganda’s digital economy, and recommended a reduction in taxes on smartphones, tablets, and laptops; incentives for local manufacturing; and tax impact assessments of emerging technologies such as AI. CIPESA stressed that wider device access and simplified tax collection mechanisms could better harness the potential of Uganda’s digital economy.
Since then various developments have emerged which inform the ICT tax regime in Uganda including the April 2026 passing of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which rejected the controversial government proposal to impose an 18 percent tax on imported software after lawmakers warned it would undermine the country’s digital transformation agenda.
Submission on the Uganda AI and Emerging Technologies Strategy: In March 2026, CIPESA submitted recommendations to Uganda’s National AI and Emerging Technologies Strategy Taskforce, welcoming the country’s ambition to harness AI for development while cautioning that innovation must be matched with legal, institutional, and ethical safeguards.
The submission was informed by CIPESA’s broader work on digital rights in Africa, including the State of Internet Freedom in Africa report titled Navigating the Implications of AI on Digital Democracy in Uganda which addressed concerns around surveillance, algorithmic bias, automated discrimination, opaque decision-making, and AI-enabled surveillance in areas such as digital lending, customs profiling, and social protection.
CIPESA called for a rights-by-design approach including mandatory Human Rights Impact Assessments for high-risk AI systems, algorithmic transparency, local data representation, and meaningful civil society participation in shaping Uganda’s AI strategy.
Engaging the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
Prioritising Human Rights Defenders: CIPESA reviewed and analysed the Draft Declaration on the Promotion of the Role of Human Rights Defenders and their Protection in Africa whose multiple efforts aim to find appropriate solutions to restore a civic space conducive to the promotion and effective protection of human rights. In its submission to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa, CIPESA highlighted the main strengths, weaknesses and gaps and made actionable recommendations for revision to ensure that the declaration reflects the desire to appropriate at continental level the Conventions and other standards and guidelines adopted at global level, especially the 1998 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
Supporting the Ratification of the AU Disability Protocol: CIPESA has consistently called upon African Union member states to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa. Our submission to the ACHPR Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons and People with Disabilities in Africa (April 2022) argued that ratification is a matter of utmost priority and that without it, the digital rights of persons with disabilities across the continent remain inadequately protected.
In December 2024, the Protocol entered into force marking a significant milestone that CIPESA noted while underscoring the work that remains to ensure its provisions on accessible ICT, assistive technology, and inclusive data collection are implemented across member states. See our celebration of Africa’s Changemakers in the Disability Digital Rights Space.
ACHPR Resolution 630 on Monitoring Technology Companies: In March 2025, the ACHPR adopted Resolution 630 (LXXXII) 2025, mandating the development of guidelines to assist states in monitoring technology companies’ duty to maintain information integrity through independent fact-checking. CIPESA welcomed the Resolution as a timely intervention for platform accountability across Africa.
In our commentary, we offered initial recommendations for civil society engagement, national adaptation of the forthcoming guidelines, and support for independent monitoring initiatives — arguing that the Resolution signals a critical shift toward building an African digital ecosystem rooted in human rights, transparency, and accountability.
CIPESA has remained involved in the advancement of the Resolution contributing insights to them including at the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum, the Africa Media Festival and in various online convenings.Guidelines have now been developed and CIPESA looks forward to contributing to their review and further development.