iWatch Africa with support from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), through the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF) is equipping and assisting 20 newsrooms in Ghana and Nigeria to set up online safety units in response to the growing online violence experienced by journalists, particularly female journalists.

This project is a sequel to iWatch Africa’s digital rights initiative launched in 2020 to track, document and analyze threats against journalists, media workers within the digital ecosystem in West Africa.

Eligibility
Applicants are expected to be:
• Ghanaian or Nigerian nationals aged between 18 and 45 years old, and must be prepared to influence change in their newsroom or organization.
• Must be a journalist or work within the media ecosystem.
• People or activists who directly contribute to media development programs in Ghana and Nigeria may apply.
Deadline for applications:  14th July 2022

NOTE: Female journalists are strongly encouraged to apply.

Apply via link here: https://forms.gle/6Dyixd2GQ3EXTRWBA

Send an email to info@iwatchafrica.org if you encounter any difficulties in completing the form.

The post Call For Participants: Empowering newsrooms to counter abuse of women journalists in Ghana & Nigeria appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Online harassment of journalists in Ghana and Nigeria is a phenomenon that has prompted growing concern in recent years. Journalists who report on contested social and political issues increasingly find themselves the target of abuse through social media and other online means, in some cases including violent threats of death and rape.

Women journalists and right activists face an additional burden in that they are also attacked purely on the basis of their gender.

The initiative which is the second phase of iWatch’s digital rights initiative will assist twenty newsrooms in Ghana and Nigeria develop online safety units to tackle the evolving threat against journalists within the online ecosystem.

Gideon Sarpong, project lead for the initiative and co-founder of iWatch Africa, indicated that in 2020 alone, iWatch Africa “tracked over 5000 instances of online abuse” directed towards journalists and rights activists in Ghana.

“A 2021 UNESCO survey of 714 journalists also revealed that 73% of women journalists have experienced online violence, with chilling psychological effect and self-censorship” he added.

“The initiative will include designing reporting protocols for the participating news organisations and a digital campaign to deal with the real threat facing journalism today, which has the potential to erode press freedom in West Africa if it goes unchecked,” he stated.

Expected to last until the end of the year, the initiative will leverage on work (Guideline to protect journalists online) produced by Gideon Sarpong as a Reuters Fellow at University of Oxford.

The project is supported by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), through the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF).

Interested media representatives can send an email to info@iwatchafrica.org.

Credit: iWatch Africa

The post iWatch Africa unveil measure to equip 20 newsrooms tackle online abuse & harassment of journalists in West Africa appeared first on iWatch Africa.

These guidelines, developed by 2020 Open Internet Leader Gideon Sarpong with support from the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) based on research he conducted for iWatch Africa, provide recommendations for West African newsrooms seeking to combat this growing threat. Tailored to the West African context, these guidelines suggest steps newsrooms can take to prioritize the safety of their employees, while keeping in mind the limited resources of many news outlets across the region.

Download Resource Here.

The post Guidelines for Newsrooms in West Africa appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Although the social media boom in Africa has presented many opportunities to the millions of users including access to information, extended social networks, identity expression etc., increasingly these platforms have become a new frontline in journalism safety – a particularly dangerous place for women journalists.

iWatch Africa in our 2020 digital rights report  found that while the number of male journalists monitored were three times more than their female counterparts, 46 per cent of the total number of online abuses received were directed at women journalists in Ghana. The report also noted that whereas the ratio per male to digital abuse was 1: 28, the ratio of a female journalist to digital abuse was 1:61. This meant that one female journalist was susceptible to 61 abuses online during the period.

Our 2021 Open Data Day event is dedicated to mitigating the risks that online harassment of women journalists poses to the free flow of information, press freedom and equal development within the digital ecosystem in Africa.

The theme for the virtual event is, ‘Leveraging data on abuse of female journalists in Ghana to promote equal development within the digital ecosystem in Africa.’

The event features two guest speakers, Sheilah Birgen, Nashilongo Gervasius and a moderator, Gideon Sarpong who are all Open Internet for Democracy Leaders. 

You can join the event here:

Time: Mar 6, 2021 01:30 PM GMT

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84690135074?pwd=aG9nWS9qY0tTb2RURVhGeTQ3V3N3Zz09

Meeting ID: 846 9013 5074
Passcode: 360327

This event is supported by Open Knowledge Foundation.

The post Open Data Day 2021: iWatch Africa to focus on safety of women journalists & equal development online appeared first on iWatch Africa.

The petition which details the nefarious online activities of these individuals was presented to the Director-General of the Police CID, COP Isaac Ken Yeboah, on Friday, 22^nd May 2020 at the Police Headquarters in Accra. This petition is a result of several months of monitoring of online abuse of journalists and rights activists in Ghana under iWatch Africa’s broader effort of eliminating cyber-abuse in Ghana.

iWatch Africa’s online monitoring team has uncovered circa 600 separate instances of abuse and harassment during the first quarter of this year. The collected information was subsequently analyzed by the iWatch’s digital rights desk to form the base of this petition.

Abuse of journalists and rights activists within the digital ecosystem in Ghana is increasing, a phenomenon, experts say could have a profound “chilling effect” on journalism and can ultimately impact negatively on the tenets of a democratic society and press freedom.

Among the crucial issues raised in the petition are the continuous death, physical harm and rape threats, both journalists received from their abusers. We are of the view that the individuals captured in the petition to the Police CID violated the Criminal Code, 1960 (ACT 29) Section 17—regarding provisions relating to the use of threats in Ghana and must be made to face the laws of this country squarely for their unprovoked actions.

The names of the abusers are withheld due to the ongoing investigations into the case by the Police CID. iWatch Africa reiterates its readiness to assist the police in all their investigations into the matter. We believe that there is an urgent need to sanitize our cyber-ecosystem free from people who hide under anonymity and abuse innocent citizens.

iWatch Africa remains committed to evolving useful guidelines to help in the management of Ghana’s cyberspace. The guidelines we anticipate would help formalize the reporting of online abuse against journalists and rights activists; as well as community management and content forum moderation.

Journalists and rights activists play an essential role in deepening Ghana’s democracy, and we must all play our role in protecting them.

Signed,

Gideon Sarpong,

Director, iWatch Africa,

Follow us Follow @iwatchafrica

The post STATEMENT: iWatch Africa petitions Police CID over individuals who threatened journalists online appeared first on iWatch Africa.

iWatch Africa in collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the police will monitor and prosecute individuals who use various online platforms to trample on the fundamental human rights of the targeted group.

The Co-Founder of iWatch Africa, Gideon Sarpong in his address at the event to launch the initiative decried the impact of online harassment on the quality of journalism practised in the country.

He called on the general public to be conscious of their social media posts so they don’t undermine the democracy and Constitution of Ghana.

The launch hosted 20 selected participants from diverse backgrounds to undertake the project which will help create a conducive environment for human rights activists and journalists in Ghana.

The Project Lead of iWatch Africa, Nana Boakye-Yiadom highlighted the adverse effect normalizing cyberbullying could have on the country and called on participants to refine their social media interaction modules.

The initiative is supported by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), through the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF).

iWatch Africa is among 14 organizations selected by CIPESA to advance digital rights in 18 different countries around the continent.

About iWatch Africa

iWatch Africa is a non-governmental media and policy organisation with considerable national repute and significance.

iWatch Africa has carved a niche in Ghana’s policy and journalism environment by putting out objective, fact-based and independent assessment on many issues.

iWatch Africa tracks digital rights in Africa, trans-national organised crime, human rights abuse and government overall performance in Ghana.

The post iWatch Africa launches digital rights initiative to tackle online harassment in Ghana appeared first on iWatch Africa.

The initiative is aimed at training journalists and rights activists to track, document and analyse threats against journalists and rights activists within the digital ecosystem in Ghana.
All tracked cases depending on the severity will be reported to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in Ghana.

iWatch Africa will work closely with CHRAJ and other policy makers in Ghana to develop protocols to look at, among other things, internal psychological and legal support for journalists and rights activists; proper reporting of online harassment; community management and content forum moderation.

Eligibility
Applicants are expected to be:
• Ghanaian nationals aged between 18 and 35 years old, and belong to the group of young people who are prepared to play a decisive role in shaping the future of Ghana.
• Students, community leaders, journalists, young leaders, people who are active in social movements online, community organizations, and bloggers.
• People or activists who have been directly contributing to digital rights and have inspired others to do the same through social media platforms.
Important Dates:
• Deadline for applications: 7th February 2020; 11: 00pm GMT. Applicants will also be selected on rolling basis.
• Announcement of selected applicants: 9th February, 2020.
• Training will take place in Accra. The venue and date of launch/training will be announced subsequently.
NB:1. Interested female are strongly advised to submit their applications promptly. (https://perfumesample.com/)
All applicants MUST follow our social media pages. Twitter: @iwatchafrica and Facebook: @iWatchAfrica

Follow the link below / Copy and Paste the link below in your browser and complete the recruitment form
👇👇👇

https://cutt.ly/WrRRej6

The post iWatch Africa Digital Rights Initiative: Call for Participants appeared first on iWatch Africa.

iWatch Africa is among 14 organizations selected by CIPESA to advance digital rights in 18 different countries around the continent.

iWatch Africa’s initiative will focus on tracking, documenting, and analysing online abuse and harassment against journalists and rights activists covering political and societal issues in Ghana. Based on the various cases, iWatch Africa will engage the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and policy makers to develop protocols for legal support for victims to seek redress among other activities.

Project Lead for the initiative, Gideon Sarpong reiterated the impact of the threat against journalists and rights activists today within the digital ecosystem and why the initiative is important.

“Thirty one percent of journalists and rights activists tone down coverage of certain stories after being harassed, while 23 percent of journalists stop coverage of certain stories after being harassed. We lost Ahmed Suale not too long ago and we cannot allow this to continue,” Mr. Sarpong stated.

“This year is an election year and we are committed to defending journalists and rights activists who are dedicated to serving the public interest. We need to promote cyber hygiene for all,” he added.

Launched in April 2019, the ADRF responds to rising digital rights violations such  arrests and intimidation of internet users, network shutdowns, and a proliferation of laws and regulations that hamper internet access and affordability. It offers flexible and rapid response grants to initiatives in Africa to implement activities that advance digital rights and the potential of technology to uphold human rights, advance democratic governance, and drive innovation.

The launch is expected to take place early February, 2020. More details to follow.

Credit: iWatch Africa

The post iWatch Africa to launch a digital rights initiative in Ghana with support from CIPESA (ADRF) appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Online harassment of journalists in Ghana is a phenomenon that has prompted growing concern in recent years. Journalists who report on contested social and political issues increasingly find themselves the target of abuse through social media, online comment fora and other online means, in some cases including violent threats of death and rape.

iWatch Africa’s initiative will focus on four main strategies including; establishment of a news desk track online abuse and harassment of journalists, expose and report identified cases to CHRAJ and the police and finally assist government develop relevant online harassment and abuse policies/regulations.

Project Lead for the initiative, Gideon Sarpong explained that, “risks that online harassment pose to the free flow of information and the democratic exchange of ideas demand an urgent response.”

“Thirty one percent of journalists tone down coverage of certain stories after being harassed. We recently witnessed the murder of Ahmed Suale, but prior to that we all saw how he was abused and threatened within the digital ecosystem. A high number of journalists in the last couple of months have also been consistently threatened, intimidated and abused. iWatch Africa will use all available resources to fight against this phenomenon, “ he stated.

The initiative was unveiled at a training workshop for journalists in the middle belt of Ghana last Saturday in Kumasi and it will continue for the foreseeable future.

The human rights abuse and corruption project is supported by US Embassy in Ghana.

The post iWatch Africa unveils measures to combat online abuse and harassment of journalists in Ghana appeared first on iWatch Africa.

The 2018 Digital Rights Africa report focused on the main theme,“Legislating Restrictions:How African Governments Use Repressive Laws.” The report although restricted to only eight countries in Africa was very thorough with disturbing examples of several instances where some governments have adopted repressive legislation to abuse the digital rights of its citizens.

The first part of the report was divided into two sections. The first section focused on the increasing rate of internet shutdowns by repressive governments across the continent. An important take in this section had to do with the relationship between dictatorial nations on the continent and their propensity to stifle critical speech by placing restrictions within the digital space.

A list of countries where there were internet shutdowns; Ethiopia, Mali, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Chad and Cameroon can all be described as struggling and or undemocratic States with very weak institutions and checks and balances. This demonstrates that any effort to promote digital rights in Africa must also focus on deepening democracy in these countries.

The second section of the first part also focused on the role of civil society in mitigating the increasing attempts by some governments on the continent to stifle digital rights. An important point highlighted in this section had to do with, “building bridges of understanding between civil society organisations and legislators towards improving the legal framework around digital rights in Africa.”

Although highlighted, I think it is still important to underscore the successful story of civil society partnerships with the legislature in Nigeria resulting in the passage of the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill into law. This could serve as a model for study and adoption by other civil society actors in other African countries.

While the role of civil society cannot be underestimated in promoting digital rights in Africa, I believe this section should have also highlighted the important role the media plays in driving the conversation, educating the public and influencing the needed positive and progressive change we all want to see in the digital space across the continent.

The second part of this report focused on the profiles of eight countries and the general outlook of their digital rights eco system. These countries were: Nigeria, Uganda, Cameroon, Tanzania, Egypt, Morocco, DR Congo and Benin.

This section is very informative because it didn’t only highlight the demographics of the countries listed above but linked their demographics to its internet and mobile telephony penetration, digital communication and the digital rights status.

This section is particularly important because it highlighted several instances where the legal regime was abused by state actors to oppress journalists, activists and members of civil society organisations.

The organization of this section beginning with the demography of each nation, its internet/digital communication eco system and its digital rights status including abuses by state actors gives readers a broader understanding and provides a better context to the challenges confronting the continent when it comes to digital rights.

How can the report be improved?

The 2018 Digital Rights Africa report gives a general overview of the digital rights status of eight countries on the continent.

The report excluded a number of important themes within the digital rights eco system which I think when added would make it more inclusive as well as reflect the broader themes of digital rights in Africa.

Future reports could highlight issues about digital inclusion with the ultimate goal to provide a document which assesses the various elements and policies which can improve access to equitable opportunities in a digital space. Digital Inclusion is about both identifying those with less or no access to the Internet (e.g. underserved communities, marginalized groups, the minorities, people with disabilities or people lacking digital literacy) and it is about activities related to the achievement of an inclusive information society.

A future version of the report could also address the broader issue of data governance. The generation, collection, storage, transfer and processing of data (including personally identifiable data) have enabled new social, cultural, and economic opportunities than ever previously imagined. At the same time, the massive collection, transfer  and processing of data (in particular through the application of algorithms/AI/machine learning) by public as well as private entities pose challenges around privacy, freedom of expression and the exercise of other human rights. Future reports reflecting approaches to ensure the development of human-centric data governance frameworks around the continent would add a very important dimension to the digital rights discussion in Africa.

Finally, the introduction of a unified gauge and ranking system which will track digital rights across the continent based on key digital right indicators will be a sure way to drive interest in the performance of countries when it comes to digital rights in Africa.

This model could also serve basis to put pressure on repressive regimes around the continent who abuse the digital rights of its citizens. This ranking could also be used to encourage countries which are performing very well to serve as model for other nations.

The full report can be accessed here.

Review by Gideon Sarpong, Policy and News Director, iWatch Africa,

The post Gideon Sarpong reviews the 2018 Digital Rights Africa report appeared first on iWatch Africa.