It’s all systems go for the 12th Edition of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF25) taking place from April 29th to May 1st, 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia. More than 1,000 delegates from 65 countries across the world have registered for the event. Registration closed on April 13th, 2025.
Key speakers at the forum include Hon. Felix Mutati, Zambia’s Minister of Technology and Science, Advocate Pansy Tlakula- the Chairperson of the Information Regulator of South Africa, Former Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (AU Organ) and Former Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, Usama Khilji – Executive Director of Bolo Bhi and Vice Chairperson of the Global Network Initiative (GNI), ‘Gbenga Sesan- Executive Director at Paradigm Initiative and a member of the Internet Governance Forum Leadership Panel, and Beatrice Mutali- UN Resident Coordinator Zambia.
The forum which will be held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) brings together policymakers, civil society actors, non-governmental organisations, tech innovators, representatives from the United Nations (UN), diplomatic corps, development agencies, donors/funders, media professionals, government representatives and representatives from the academia and the private sector.
Held under the theme, “Promoting Digital Ubuntu in Approaches to Technology,” the signature event is hosted by pan-African organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) in conjunction with the following partners; Bloggers of Zambia, Common Cause Zambia, Internet Society Zambia, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, Zambian Cybersecurity Initiative Foundation (ZCSI), and the Zambia Ministry of Technology and Science.
The event’s thematic areas are; Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Trust and Accountability, Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Digital Inclusion and Marginalised Groups, Digital Security, Human Rights and Freedoms.
DRIF 2025: Sponsors, Sessions, and Key Initiatives Driving Digital Rights and Inclusion
DRIF 2025 sponsors include Ford Foundation, Luminate, Mott Foundation, Google, Meta, Wellsprings Philanthropic Fund, Kingdom of the Netherlands, MacArthur Foundation, and Wikimedia Foundation.
The forum will feature 122 sessions including workshops, day zero events, exhibitions, tech demos, lightning talks and panel sessions. The sessions were selected from 345 proposals received by the organisation. In 2024, the organisation received 245 session proposals and hosted over 80 sessions. In 2023, the organisation hosted 70 sessions.
The organisation is also set to launch the 2024 Digital Rights and Inclusion in Africa Report- Londa, featuring 27 African countries, the 5th short film and the PIN Book titled The PIN Story: Work in Progress, highlighting the organisation’s journey from a tiny cybercafe in Lagos, Nigeria to a leading pan-African digital rights and inclusion organisation.
DRIF provides a platform for hosting critical global issues on digital rights and inclusion, accommodating views and opinions from civil society, technology companies, government, academia, and other stakeholders. The upcoming edition will build on the discussions from the 11th edition, which focused on the theme, Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age.
Stay updated on the latest digital rights and inclusion news! For more insights and exclusive coverage on global events like DRIF 2025, visit LouisaOlaniyi.com.ng.
