A workshop organized by Paradigm Initiative designed to build the capacity of Southern African civil society organisations, journalists ,advocates, and others to defend digital rights commenced on Tuesday in Harare.
By Tafadzwa Muranganwa
Addressing delegates at the workshop, Misa ICT and legal officer Nompilo Simanje said Zimbabwe still has a long way in addressing access to the internet as it remains an elite conversation.
“When we talk of affordability of the internet here in Zimbabwe it’s an elite conversation as some citizens don’t have smartphones to access the internet,”cited Simanje.
“The cost of devices remains out of reach for many,”she added.
She said there was a need for the inclusion of the elderly in the digital craze.
“I have noted that the elderly have been left behind in the internet conversations but they need to be included as well ,” the Misa ICT and legal officer noted.
According to Thobekile Matimbe, Paradigm Initiative, community manager, the workshop seeks to explore various ways to advocate for a safe internet space which is affordable and reliable.
“The digital space is evolving because of technological advancement and are we entirely safe? Could it be it a policy issue so this workshop is a platform to explore ways to ensure access to the internet remains affordable and reliable,” Matimbe said.
Matimbe said the ideal form of advocacy is a multi-stakeholder approach.
“There is the need to build a network and coalition of different stakeholders for an effective advocacy in internet governance and digital rights,”she opined.
Paradigm Initiative, senior program manager, Adeboye Adegoke ,cited that some laws are being passed in some Southern African countries that seem to promote digital rights while at the same time having retrogressive clauses.
“So we have noted that there are some countries which are passing laws that from the face of it you think they are promoting digital rights but have clauses that curtail the same,” he raised concern.
This was echoed by Media Alliance of Zimbabwe programs manager, Nigel Nyamutumbu, who gave an example of Zimbabwe’s Cyber and Data Protection Act which has ‘smuggled’ back the defamation law.
“There are concerns that the Cyber and Data Protection Act seems to bring back the outlawed defamation law through the provision that bars the publishing of falsehoods,” Nyamutumbu bemoaned.
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