Leading Pan African Digital Rights and Inclusion organization Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has urged individuals and civil society to continue to hold to account all actors to ensure best practices are adopted, and privacy as a right is protected.
PIN made the call as it joined countries across the world in commemorating World Data Protection and Privacy Day.
Since 2017 the day has been celebrated on the 28th of January with the aim of raising awareness on the need to adopt good practices to secure data and protect privacy.
It is in the same vein that Paradigm Initiative is adding its voice to that of the whole world to commemorate World Data Protection Day and privacy.
This year’s theme, “Protecting Your Personal Data,” focuses on the need for individuals, organizations, and governments to take measures to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of personal data.
PIN, which embodies these values through its advocacy and capacity-building programs, is particularly keen on personal data and the privacy of communities across the African continent.
With this in mind, Paradigm Initiative, in collaboration with its partners, has developed various resources to keep individuals informed about the state of data protection in Africa. This can be accessed in our Londa reports for specific country analysis, our Data protection Authories in Africa report on the state of DPAs on the continent, our audio series “Crime and Prejudice” introducing the concept,our Ayeta.Africa toolkit to raise the level of awareness of communities on the dangers of using the internet and the steps to take to protect themselves among many others.
Therefore, we call on African governments and the private sector to be aware of the process of digitalization that is being initiated at high speed on the continent and improve their privacy policies. This way, consumers and citizens have more control over their data collection practices and can feel confident when sharing information with third parties according to the right to privacy or private life is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 12), the European Convention of Human Rights (Article 8) and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights (Article 7).
About PIN
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) strives to connect disadvantaged African youth to digital opportunities and protect their rights. We operate in seven African countries, namely the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Cameroon.
PIN has also created online platforms that educate and serve as safe spaces for reporting digital rights violations. These materials, in the form of reports, short films and online educational platforms, include Ayeta, Londa and Ripoti.
Paradigm Initiative is also the organizer of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF), a bilingual pan-African forum held annually since 2013
