The Impact of COVID-19 on Digital Rights in Africa
African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition (2020), 297 pp.
ISBN 978-92-95113-35-0
CC BY
"This publication is a compilation of 19 articles by African researchers, academics, journalists and human and digital rights activists on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on digital rights in Africa. The articles were commissioned by the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms (AfDec) Coalition as part of its project on “Securing human rights online in Africa through a strong and active ‘African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms’ network”. The AfDec Coalition is a pan-African initiative which promotes human rights standards and principles of openness in internet policy formulation and implementation on the continent, guided by the 13 principles established in the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms. At the time that the papers were commissioned, in June 2020, African states had either invoked existing policies or adopted new policies for prevention of spread, containment and treatment of the virus that had an impact on the enjoyment of digital rights. For example, most governments employed the use of contact tracing applications to track and trace citizens’ movements and put in place measures criminalising free speech when it contained false information about the pandemic. These two examples had the potential to be abused, particularly the latter, which was used to silence journalists and government critics. The pandemic also moved most citizens’ communication, education, work, trade and access to basic services from physical interactions to primilary online interactions. However, the continent is still largely made up of informal economies, has a low internet penetration rate of 28.2% (far below the global average of around 53%), and has seen an increase in reports of digital rights violations resulting from repressive cyberlaws, making the efforts to address the pandemic inadequate and inequitable. These articles offer reflective analyses on government efforts to curb the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of the AfDec principles, with a focus on a number of the principles including privacy and personal data protection, gender equality, freedom of expression, internet access and affordability, and the right to development and access to knowledge." (Introduction)
PRIVACY AND PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION
Data protection in Africa and the COVID-19 pandemic: Old problems, new challenges and multistakeholder solutions / Tomiwa Ilori, 8
Can the social contract theory justify data rights violations? A review of South Africa’s contact tracing regulations / Rumbidzai Matamba and Chenai Chair, 26
Data protection in the age of technology-based disease surveillance / Amanda Manyame, 36
Surveillance numérique pour combattre la COVID-19: Le droit à la vie privée et le droit à l’information en péril au Sénégal / Ndiaga Gueye, 44
Privacy and the pandemic: An African response / Gabriella Razzano, 53
GENDER EQUALITY, MARGINALISED GROUPS AND DIGITAL RIGHTS
Tackling gender-based cyber violence against women and girls in Malawi amidst the COVID-19 pandemic / Donald Flywell Malanga, 64
Women face internet access challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda / Peace Oliver Amuge and Sandra Aceng, 76
Reflections on COVID-19 policy responses in Uganda and the relevance of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms for promoting women’s rights online / Amuku Isaac, 88
The gender digital divide and COVID-19: Towards feminist internet regulations in Southern Africa / Tina Power, 96
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OTHER DIGITAL RIGHTS
Combate à COVID-19 em Moçambique: Experiências e práticas virtuais / Dércio Tsandzana, 109
Les politiques sénégalaises de lutte contre la pandémie COVID-19 et leur impact sur les droits humains en ligne / Astou Diouf, 117
Mask or muzzle: The impact of COVID-19 measures on digital rights in Kenya / Francis Monyango, 126
INTERNET ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY
COVID-19 exposes the damage of the ex-regime’s empowerment policy on ICTs and the impact of US sanctions against Sudan / Wala Mohammed, 136
The shrinking of the digital space during the COVID-19 pandemic: Movement building and internet governance in North Africa / Sodfa Daaji and Rim Menia, 146
Digital divisions: COVID-19 policy and practice and the digital divide in Africa / Charley Lewis, 155
A provisional analysis of the impact of telecommunications policy and regulatory frameworks in Africa and COVID-19: A community networks perspective / Josephine Miliza, 171
RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT
The “forgotten constituency”: Making a case for digital rights for prisoners in Zimbabwe during and beyond COVID-19 / David Makwerere, 180
Digital-shy Zimbabwe’s schools feel the brunt of COVID-19 / Kenneth Matimaire, 189
Compulsory e-learning in Namibia’s public schools: A commendable idea marred by the digital divide? / Nashilongo Gervasius, 197
Data protection in Africa and the COVID-19 pandemic: Old problems, new challenges and multistakeholder solutions / Tomiwa Ilori, 8
Can the social contract theory justify data rights violations? A review of South Africa’s contact tracing regulations / Rumbidzai Matamba and Chenai Chair, 26
Data protection in the age of technology-based disease surveillance / Amanda Manyame, 36
Surveillance numérique pour combattre la COVID-19: Le droit à la vie privée et le droit à l’information en péril au Sénégal / Ndiaga Gueye, 44
Privacy and the pandemic: An African response / Gabriella Razzano, 53
GENDER EQUALITY, MARGINALISED GROUPS AND DIGITAL RIGHTS
Tackling gender-based cyber violence against women and girls in Malawi amidst the COVID-19 pandemic / Donald Flywell Malanga, 64
Women face internet access challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda / Peace Oliver Amuge and Sandra Aceng, 76
Reflections on COVID-19 policy responses in Uganda and the relevance of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms for promoting women’s rights online / Amuku Isaac, 88
The gender digital divide and COVID-19: Towards feminist internet regulations in Southern Africa / Tina Power, 96
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OTHER DIGITAL RIGHTS
Combate à COVID-19 em Moçambique: Experiências e práticas virtuais / Dércio Tsandzana, 109
Les politiques sénégalaises de lutte contre la pandémie COVID-19 et leur impact sur les droits humains en ligne / Astou Diouf, 117
Mask or muzzle: The impact of COVID-19 measures on digital rights in Kenya / Francis Monyango, 126
INTERNET ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY
COVID-19 exposes the damage of the ex-regime’s empowerment policy on ICTs and the impact of US sanctions against Sudan / Wala Mohammed, 136
The shrinking of the digital space during the COVID-19 pandemic: Movement building and internet governance in North Africa / Sodfa Daaji and Rim Menia, 146
Digital divisions: COVID-19 policy and practice and the digital divide in Africa / Charley Lewis, 155
A provisional analysis of the impact of telecommunications policy and regulatory frameworks in Africa and COVID-19: A community networks perspective / Josephine Miliza, 171
RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT
The “forgotten constituency”: Making a case for digital rights for prisoners in Zimbabwe during and beyond COVID-19 / David Makwerere, 180
Digital-shy Zimbabwe’s schools feel the brunt of COVID-19 / Kenneth Matimaire, 189
Compulsory e-learning in Namibia’s public schools: A commendable idea marred by the digital divide? / Nashilongo Gervasius, 197
