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02Oct

The Challenge of Tackling Online Violence Against Women in Africa

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By Evelyn Lirri |
The story of a 19-year-old student from Kenya who committed suicide after a man she met through Facebook threatened to publish her nude photos came to the limelight on the heels of the opening day of the Forum on Internet Freedom in East Africa, which took place in Kampala, Uganda.
The forum, organised by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), under the OpenNet Africa Initiative, drew a cross-section of people from Africa and beyond, including human rights defenders, academics, , law enforcement officers, communication regulators, media, and the tech community to debate issues impacting online freedom of expression and cyber security in Africa. The emerging issue of online violence against women (VAW), a growing problem worldwide, was among the key topics discussed.
Panelists at the Forum said cyber violence against women exists in several forms, including stalking, sexual harassment, surveillance, revenge pornography, public shaming and use of images or videos to manipulate individuals. It is particularly carried out through email, social media such as Facebook, Twitter and mobile phone instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
Ruth Nsibirano, a gender expert from Makerere University, said it is difficult to quantify the extent of cyber VAW in Africa because of several inhibitions including the culture of silence.
“In many cases when women report this kind of violence, they are blamed for causing it and so they end up keeping quiet instead of speaking out,” explained Dr. Nsibirano. She added that many women were reluctant to report their tormentors because of the fear of reprisal and, in other cases, they did not know where to seek redress.
According to Jan Moolman, a feminist activist with  the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) who was on  the panel that discussed gender-based online violence, women’s access to the internet and technology remains low, especially in developing countries, leaving the conversation on internet rights to be dominated by men. She noted that in some African countries, online VAW was targeted at public figures, largely because of the nature of their work.
“We need policies and legislation by governments to say this kind of behaviour online is unacceptable. Just like we are responding to violence against women offline, we need to do the same online,” said Ms. Moolman.
Despite the ongoing reports of harassment and intimidation, Ms. Moolman urged more women and girls to join online spaces in order to be part of the conversation against the vice and how to ensure they are safe when they use different online platforms.
Nanjira Sambuli, a research manager with iHub Kenya, said cases of violence against women are usually difficult to prosecute because the evidence is hard to present.
“The cases that come to the limelight are likely a representative of what we don’t hear or see. We need to work towards frameworks that allow people to report anonymously. That way, we shall have a better sense of what is happening,” she said.
Ms. Sambuli highlighted the fact that efforts to combat violence against women have thus far been mainly offline, with fewer strategies put in place to document the harm that happens online and ensure women know where to seek help when they have been violated.
“The internet especially social media platforms are spaces where people are beginning to negotiate and understand what it means to have freedom and what the boundaries are. The internet should be a space where citizens can engage, learn and build a better society,” she added.
Among the possible efforts to curb the vice, Dr. Nsibirano called for increased education of women on the dynamics of the internet through school curriculums. “That way, we shall get more women who will be knowledgeable when these crimes happen,” she said.
Many countries across Africa do not have specific laws under which offenders can be prosecuted. In Uganda, some offenders have been charged under the Anti Pornography Act, 2014, but participants noted that this law was not sufficient to address the problem given that the same law could be used to prosecute the victims.
“Digital evidence is an area that the world is still trying to figure out,” noted Ms. Sambuli. She stressed the need for laws not to aggravate the infringement of victims’ privacy during investigations and prosecution of VAW crimes.
 
 

08Apr

OpenNet Africa Project Introduction Meetup

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(Updated)
Since 2013, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) has been coordinating the OpenNet Africa projectwhich is aimed at monitoring and promoting internet freedoms, primarily in East and Southern African states.
As part of the initiative’s 2015 strategies, Outbox community has been chosen to undertake certain in-country activities.
To this end, on Thursday 16th April, 2015, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, a team from CIPESA will meet-up with selected techies with knowledge of Internet usage and security, to share about what OpenNet Africa is, what objectives we want the techies to test, what to test and what success would look like after the test.
Tools to be used:

  1. Cryptocat
  2. Mailvelope
  3. Martus
  4. Textsecure
  5. Redphone

All these tools are open source and should be easily available online.
Participants will be supported for 3 weeks to work on their ideas with support from mentors after which there will be a pitching event to showcase the test/familiarisation findings and localisation ideas to adapt/ improve the tools.
Judges will determine participants with the best findings and localisation ideas for prizes.
If you would like to participate, please apply here and wait for confirmation email.
OpenNet Africa is aimed at monitoring and promoting internet freedoms, primarily in East and Southern African states.
The objective is to provide a centralised platform that acts as a focal point for information on African internet freedoms and cyber security. OpenNet Africa therefore provide access to research materials on internet freedom, legal regimes on internet openness or the lack of it, censorship incidents, African initiatives that are promoting internet rights, and policy advocacy materials. Learn more…

When it’s at..
Thursday, 16 April 2015
Where it’s at
Outbox Hub
10Nov

Uganda Gov’t Officials Trained in Using Right to Information Portal

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By Ashnah Kalemera
On November 7, officials from 40 Uganda Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) were trained in promoting citizens’ right to information, including through the use of the Ask Your Government portal.
Launched on August 14, 2014, www.askyourgov.ug allows Ugandan citizens to directly send requests for information to information officers in Government MDAs. Responses to the requests are relayed directly to the email address of the person who makes the requests and are also publicly displayed on the portal. In accordance with Uganda’s Access to Information Act of 2005, the portal promotes citizens’ right to information in support of transparency, accountability and good governance.
The dialogue aimed to increase the number of information officers registered on the portal and encourage the officers to respond to information requests within 21 days as required by the law.

Government officials at the workshop on the Right to Information online portal
Government officials at the workshop on the Right to Information online portal

Currently there are 70 MDAs registered on the AskYourGov portal and so far 45 requests for information have been logged through the portal, of which 20 have received responses. Only 8 of the 20 responses have been classified as successful by requesters.
In an effort to encourage the Officers to improve the response rate, Sylvia Biraahwa, the Principal Information Officer, Directorate of Information and National Guidance, Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), urged officials to adopt internal practices that promote transparency and accountability without waiting for directives to be handed down from the central government. Ms. Biraahwa commended the Lands Ministry for taking positive steps in information disclosure by developing an access to information manual, setting a great example for other MDAs to follow suit.
However, one official argued that the best way to motivate information officers to respond to right of information requests was through a top-down approach. “OPM and the Directorate of Information should demand that there be sections in annual Ministerial Policy statements regarding what has been done and achieved in the area of ATI [access to information],” he said. This would “motivate and give support” to low-ranking officers to act in compliance with the law.
The dialogue, which was organised by the OPM in partnership with CIPESA and the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) also sought to sensitise officials in emerging media platforms for increased openness and citizen engagement. Ms. Juliet Nanfuka Nakiyini of CIPESA said cabinet, in May 2013 directed the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to ensure that every MDA opens a Twitter and Facebook account to improve communication with the public. This directive, together with the Websites and Social Media standards and guidelines developed by the National Information Technology Authority (NITA), provided immense opportunities for attracting more citizens into the democratic process and building accessible information repositories.
Ms. Nanfuka urged officials to exploit the push and pull symbiotic relationship that can exist between government and citizens through askyourgov.ug and MDAs’ social media platforms. For instance, they could initiate discussion topics on Facebook and Twitter on readily available information and invite discussants to send requests through the AYG website for information to inform the debate. She encouraged the MDAs to share on their websites and social media platforms the queries they receive via AskYourGov and the responses they provide.
Simon Mayende, the Director of Information and National Guidance, urged the participating MDAs to also utilise Public Education Programmes in print and broadcast media spaces for citizens sensitisation on RTI as provided for under the government communications strategy.
Mr. Mayende said the Uganda Law Reform Commission was working to identify laws with provisions that contradict the access to information law so as to draft progressive amendments for tabling before parliament.
Read more about the day’s activities here. Visit the portal on www.askyourgov.ug to register and make information requests. See also the Ask Your Government Uganda User Guide and Information Sheet.
Follow requests and responses on social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/askyourgovug
Twitter: @AskYourGovUg

05Jun

Online Privacy and Security: The Debate And The Dilemma

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By Ashnah Kalemera
The issue of internet users’ privacy and security has been widely debated since the Edward Snowden revelations last June put a magnifying glass on the extremes that some governments, such as the U.S., are prepared to go to in the fight against terrorism and cybercrime.
To-date, debate rages on amongst human rights activists, government, media, academia and the private sector on the effects of surveillance on internet freedoms. It is also becoming apparent that some developing countries are also taking to surveillance of their citizens’ communications.
These discussions continued at this year’s Stockholm Internet Forum (SIF), themed “Internet: privacy, transparency, surveillance and control”. The annual forum hosted by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in partnership with the country’s Internet Infrastructure Foundation (.se) and the Swedish Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), took place in Stockholm, Sweden, May 27–28, 2014.
In her opening address, Anna-Karin Hatt, Sweden’s Minister for Information Technology, said there would be grave consequences to basic human rights if states across the world continued to undertake unrestricted surveillance.
“During the last year, we have had more than one reason to discuss the behaviour between states and the behaviour of states within their borders,” she said. “The most valuable lesson has been that all surveillance must be subjected to strict limitations.” She added that “no system of surveillance must be justified because it is technologically possible.”
Rather, where legitimate cause exists, “surveillance must be proportional to the benefits it brings to citizens in terms of reduction in crime and improved security”. Furthermore, she argued, it must be based on transparent laws that are adopted through democratic processes.
She also noted that the last year had seen many multi-stakeholder meetings and processes on the matter. These included the 2013 global Internet Governance Forum, NetMundial, the Freedom Online Coalition, and the 2014 Cyber Dialogue. However, she added, it was still important to continue these discussions with participation from a broad range of state and non-state stakeholders in order to reach a consensus.
According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), only 19% of Africans use the internet compared to 75% (Europe), 32% (Asia) and 65% (the Americas). Africa also has the lowest mobile phone penetration rates. Low literacy levels, high cost of accessing and owning ICT, acute shortages of electricity, gender inequalities and a shortage of skilled human resources have contributed to the continent’s low ICT use. Even with this limited access, internet use is further impeded by government policies and practices that threaten internet freedom.
While African governments may not be blatantly or capably conducting surveillance on the scale of the National Security Agency (NSA) in the U.S., in recent years they have not shied away from requesting for social media users’ information and seeking content take downs. This is a reflection of the growing interest in what citizens are doing online.
According to the recently published State of Internet Freedom in East Africa report, national constitutions and a number of legislations on the continent provide for freedoms of expression, assembly, privacy and access to information. However, various recently enacted laws take away from citizens’ enjoyment of these freedoms in the online space.
James A. Lewis, director and senior fellow at the American Centre for Strategic and International Studies, asserted that post-Snowden, the debate had shifted from freedom of expression to privacy versus security. The latter were not guaranteed on the internet. “I have never seen a government that does not conduct surveillance on its own citizens. The challenge is extending sovereignty without sacrificing human rights,” he said.
But what is the perception in the developing world where it is estimated that the next billion internet users will come from? Should Africa prioritise access over security? Alison Gillwald, executive director of Research ICT Africa, noted that many people on the continent are more concerned about getting access to the internet and less so their privacy online.
Meanwhile, emerging threats from terrorist and militia groups in Africa seem to have influenced the way some governments perceive internet freedom. In Nigeria, Gbenga Sesan noted that the abduction of 300 schoolgirls by a Muslim extremist group had re-enforced state surveillances measures. “The government is using such incidents to justify ‘rule of law’: ‘if we should provide you with more security, we need to access your privacy’,” said Mr. Sesan.
Perhaps, as Eileen Donahue, Director of Global Affairs at Human Rights Watch pointed out, even with continued discussion and research on the matter, “we may not be able to figure out how to proactively reconcile the internet and human rights.”

30May

Are East African States Using ‘Terrorism’ to Stifle Internet Freedoms?

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By Edris Kisambira
On May 23, 2014, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) launched a report on the State of Internet Freedom in East Africa. The report is an investigation into the policies and practices that define internet freedom in the region. The event, which took place in Kampala, Uganda, was attended by ICT thought leaders, media and human rights activists from Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Nigeria, among others.
A number of East Africa countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda boast over 50% teledensity and a growing number of internet users.
But as internet user numbers grow, so does content questioning governments’ democratic credentials. In turn, governments are enacting laws to counter freedom of expression, including online. These curtails are often framed under the guise of fighting terrorism, cyber crime and hate speech.
The CIPESA report noted that, regrettably, despite increased usage of the internet and infringements on freedoms, East Africans are not engaging enough in discussions around the issues of internet freedoms.
In his keynote address at the launch, the Chairperson of the ICT Committee in Uganda’s parliament, Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, noted that internet use by East African citizens has grown exponentially over the last five years. Considering the importance of the internet to improving livelihoods, the economy, and to security and stability, it had become necessary to make regulations to govern the online space.
“The issue becomes whether the rules are fair, inclusive, allow the growth of the internet and associated digital technologies, or whether they suppress citizens’ rights and creativity, lock out some sections of society and stifle creativity and innovation,” said Bagiire.
Panel discussions centred on how to find a balance between users’ freedoms and national security, as well as on online safety, security and privacy.
Arnold Mangeni, the Data Centre Manager at the National Information Technology Authority of Uganda (NITA-U) noted that when one goes online, they need not to expect security and privacy granted at the same time. He added that governments are mandated to protect citizens and as such have to curtail some freedoms while protecting citizens.
This sentiment was in sharp contrast to that of Neil Blazevic from the Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network. He encouraged citizens to take more active measures to ensure their privacy and security both offline and online. “Privacy is something we rely on in basic existence without which we face an existential crisis,” he said.
Patrick Mutahi, a Safety & Security Programme Officer from Article 19 Kenya raised the concern that while pursuing national security, governments are collecting citizen’s personal information during SIM card and national Identity registration exercises with no regulations on how this information is used. He further said governments are moving to curtail some of the freedoms because of vices like hate speech.
Lydia Namubiru, a Programme Officer at the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), said privacy and security online, like transport infrastructure for example, was a public service and should be guaranteed by governments. She said government surveillance online is akin to “placing a police officer at someone’s bedroom window”.
Panelists pointed to a need for competent judicial authorities to provide oversight over surveillance and monitoring. They also called for governments to consult citizens in enacting laws related to internet freedoms.
It was also pointed out that individuals and the private sector should take responsibility for their own online privacy and security.
“The Police alone cannot protect everyone online. The private sector has got to play a major role too. For example the problem of unsolicited SMS messages and online fraud where people lose millions of shillings in bogus transactions,” said Jimmy Haguma, the Acting Commissioner for Electronic and Counter Measures, Uganda Police Force.
He was backed by legislator Bagiire who said online safety is complex and needs continuous stakeholder collaborative efforts and user sensitisation efforts.
“Whereas government will put in place laws to protect users like the Computer Misuse Act and the e-signatures Ac, we the individuals have to be careful online,” he said.
Conducted between January 2010 and April 2014, CIPESA’s research found that the state of internet freedom in East Africa is littered with legislation and state actions which contradict constitutional rights provisions.
The legacy of colonial laws still lingers in countries like Tanzania and Uganda where public information disclosure is severely restricted. Besides, some laws, without being explicit on the internet and related technologies, are used in contexts that they were not intended for. Meanwhile, in Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi, hate speech content regulations posed a threat to internet freedoms. In Ethiopia, the state monopoly over telecommunications was found to enable mass surveillance and content filtering, particularly that of the regime’s critics.
The full report can be found here.

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