The session alerted journalists to digital rights issues and conscientized journalists on the importance of documenting digital rights stories.

Speaking during the session, PIN Partnerships and Engagements Officer Bridgette Ndlovu highlighted that internet shutdowns and throttling of internet speeds have become a common phenomenon in the digital rights landscape in Africa.

“Digital rights are an extension of human rights. The coming of digital technologies transformed the way basic rights are exercised, protected and violated. In Africa, we are seeing digital rights violation trends leaning towards internet shutdowns, disinformation, misinformation, online gender-based violence and hate speech, which are now occurring during the electoral cycle as political parties and candidates seek to increase their political mileage,” she said.

Ndlovu noted that while civil society organisations have a role in advocating for the protection of digital rights, journalists should report on digital rights violations.

“It is your role as journalists to report on digital rights violations to make communities aware of these challenges. We know that Zimbabwe has shut down the internet before, and as we head towards elections, we will continue to raise awareness on digital rights so that these rights are respected.

Ndlovu also shared that violating digital rights during elections would affect campaigning as political parties use social media to share their political messages.

“Violation of digital rights would also affect the dissemination of messages on civic participation, awareness on misinformation and disinformation and limit access to information of the election process,” she said.

The movie, which is inspired by PIN’s 2021 Digital Rights and Inclusion Report- Londa, was watched yesterday night by delegates who are attending the IGF, which is currently ongoing in Addis Ababa, the capital city of the Horn of Africa nation.

The report highlights the state of digital rights and inclusion in 22 African countries. This is the third movie the organization is producing, with the other two being Training Day and Focus.

Londa 2021 examines privacy, freedom of expression, access to information, segmentation and execution, digital transformation, affordability, gender and others within existing legislative frameworks and against the backdrop of a widening digital divide.

It also assesses the state of digital rights and inclusion on the continent and provides recommendations on what each country must do to move towards realizing gains that rights-respecting and inclusive digital practices bring. Besides providing recommendations, the report also highlights gaps existing in the featured African countries.

Speaking at the event, Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan, Paradigm Initiative ’s Executive Director, emphasized the need to observe digital rights on the continent and to increase awareness about them among state and non-state actors. “It is crucial to increase awareness among citizens, media, private sector, civil society groups and state agencies which include law enforcement, the judiciary, legislature and communications regulators,” he said.

Mr. Mesud Gebeyehu, Executive Director Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO) lauded PIN’s move to use short films to advocate for digital rights and also stressed the need for collaboration on such efforts amongst like-minded institutions.

The 2021 Londa Report indicates that to date, progress has been slow across the continent in implementing ICT development strategies as governments demonstrate a lack of urgency in implementing laws or policies related to digitalization.

Paradigm Initiative annually monitors the environment, documents violations, and reports on the state of digital rights and inclusion in Africa.

The title of the report, which emanates from Zulu origin, echoes a call for action to protect or defend the digital rights and inclusion environment in Africa.