Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica)
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FIFAfrica17

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About

The fourth edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) was held on September 27 – 29, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. This marked the first time that FIFAfrica was hosted outside Kampala, Uganda, where it has been held since inception in 2014. The 2017 edition of FIFAfrica was co-hosted by the Association for Progressive Communication (APC) and the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).

The landmark event convenes various stakeholders from the internet governance and online rights arenas in Africa and beyond to deliberate on gaps, concerns and opportunities for advancing privacy, access to information, free expression, non-discrimination and the free flow of information online. This unique assembly of mostly African based human rights defenders, journalists, government officials, private sector players, global information intermediaries, bloggers, developers, the arts community, law enforcers and regulators – is steadily gaining traction in the internet freedom landscape arena and drawing a diversity of stakeholders from across the continent and beyond.

The Forum’s growing audience (from 80 participants representing six countries in 2014 to over 250 from 35 countries in 2017), the diversity of participants, and discussions reflects increased awareness among Africa’s growing internet user and stakeholder community for the need to pave the way for broader and more impactful work on advancing digital rights advocacy and drawing up common strategies to promote internet freedom.

See this info-graph on the Evolution of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica)

Highlights at the FIFafrica included the launch of the State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2017 research report, the launch of the New Framework for Calculating the Economic Impact of Internet Disruption in Sub-Sahara Africa and the annual commemoration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) that is marked every September 28. For the second year, the Forum featured a digital security clinic and for the first time an exhibition showcasing the work and products of various players in the internet freedom arena in Africa including the hosts APC and CIPESA, Access Now, Defend Defenders, Right To Know (RTK), Media Monitoring Africa and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Africa.

The conversation on promoting internet freedom is crucial and the Forum provides a unique opportunity for deliberations and building a network of African actors to promote internet freedom for rights holders and responsibilities of duty bearers. It is also crucial to involve multiple stakeholders, civil society, the private sector, government officials, developers and other actors, in conversations around advancing the realisation of a free and open internet in Africa.

FIFAfrica 2017 was the first ever event of its kind in southern Africa, thereby enabling a particular focus on internet freedom concerns in the sub-region while maintaining a pan-African profile. With a dedicated focus of bringing together a larger network of actors that advocate for internet freedom in the region and beyond, a richer and broader mix of actors, state and non-state, the Forum contributed towards creating a larger network of actors that advocate for internet freedom particularly in Africa. Notably, this network of actors included African technology innovators and developers as well as internet measurement practitioners, who – while being crucial to promoting digital security – remain largely removed from the internet freedom eco-system.

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Speakers

Andreas Reventlow

Digital Freedom Adviser, International Media Support & Board Member, Global Network Initiative

Andreas is the Programme Development and Digital Freedom Adviser at International

Gbenga Sesan

Paradigm Initiative

Gbenga is the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative. Originally trained as

Amreesh D. Phokeer

AFRINIC

Amreesh is the Research and Innovation Manager at AFRINIC. He heads

    Marian Shinn

    Democratic Alliance's Shadow Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa

    Marian has a background in marketing, communications consulting and media. In

    Mason Kortz

    Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University

    Mason is a clinical instructional fellow at the Harvard Law School

    Ingrid Brudvig

    World Wide Web Foundation

    Ingrid works at the World Wide Web Foundation where she coordinates

    James Marchant

    Small Media

    James Marchant has been Small Media's Research Manager since 2013. He

    Rebecca Enonchong

    AppsTech

    Rebecca is founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppsTech, a leading

    Koliwe Majama

    Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter

    Koliwe Majama is a Zimbabwe born journalist, digital and media rights

    Anri van der Spuy

    Research ICT Africa

    Anri is an associate at Research ICT Africa and works on

    Ephraim Percy Kenyanito

    ARTICLE 19 EASTERN AFRICA

    Ephraim leads ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa's work relating to digital rights,

    Jimmy Kainja

    Chancellor College, University of Malawi

    Jimmy is a lecturer in media and communications at Chancellor College,

    Nani Jansen Reventlow

    Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University

    Nani Jansen Reventlow is an Associate Tenant at Doughty Street Chambers

    Michael Ilishebo

    Governmmet - Zambia Police Service

    Michael is a law enforcement officer working for Zambia Police Service.

    Kelly Daniel Mukwano

    i freedom Uganda Network

    Kelly is the Executive Director for i freedom Uganda Network and

    Andrew Puddephatt

    Global Partners Digital

    Andrew leads Global Partners Digital’s work on human rights, communications policy

    William Gumede

    Programme for the Management of Public Enterprises (PMPE), Wits University

    William is the Director and Founder of the Programme for the

    Nicole Stremlau

    University of Johannesburg and University of Oxford

    Nicole is Research Professor in the Humanities at the University of

    Indra de Lanerolle

    JAMLAB

    Indra is the Director of JAMLAB, a new digital journalism and

    Iginio Gagliardone

    University of the Witwatersrand

    Iginioteaches Media and Communication at the University of the Witwatersrand, South

    See More Speakers

    Agenda

    #FIFAfrica17 Agenda

    Gallery

    See More Photos>>

    Reports

    State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2017
    Impact of Internet Disruptions
    2017 Report

    FIFAfrica 2017 Organisers

    // Association for Progressive Communication (APC)


    Sunnyside Park Hotel, Princess of Wales Terrace & Carse O’Gowrie Road, Johannesburg, South Africa


    Tel and Fax: +27 11 726 1692
    Fax to email: +27 86 608 2815
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: https://www.apc.org/

    // CIPESA


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