The African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms

African states continue to disregard the need to apply a human rights-based approach to the adoption and implementation of internet-related policies and to hold the private sector accountable for its responsibilities to safeguard privacy and other rights online. Several trends demonstrate this: the arrest of citizens and media practitioners for exercising the rights to free expression and access to information, imposition of internet disruptions during high-profile political events such as elections, and surveillance of the private communications of opposition politicians and human rights

defenders. Furthermore, The COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increase in the adoption and implementation of restrictive practices and laws, at a time when citizens are heavily reliant on the internet for daily communication, transactions and to access information and public services. This project seeks to increase advocacy efforts by civil society actors to ensure policies and practices that safeguard the rights to affordable access, privacy and data protection in the region are developed, defended and upheld.