Category Archives: ICT

Advocacy, ICT, SDGS, Social Political, Youth

NMCG PRESS RELEASE: PROTECTING DIGITAL RIGHTS IN CLOSING SPACE

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Tuesday, November 15, 2022

 

+234 708 778 4788

team@newmediagov.ng

Abuja, Nigeria.

 

For Immediate Release

 

EIE, BudgIT and PIN are set to host the 5th Edition of NMCG Conference.

 

Enough is Enough Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, and Paradigm Initiative are set to host the fifth edition of the New Media, Citizens and Governance conference tagged  ‘Protecting Digital Rights in Closing Spaces’ on Thursday, November 17, 2022, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua centre, Abuja, Nigeria.

 

The one-day hybrid transnational conference will feature speakers and dignitaries from across Africa—Cameroon, South Africa, Zimbabwe, The Gambia, Ghana, and Kenya—with over 300 registered delegates to discuss critical topics in the new media and how they affect various facets of the society.

 

According to BudgIT’s Global Director, Oluseun Onigbinde, the year’s edition has been designed to drive conversations on Africa’s digital economic space, social media restrictions and shutdowns, data privacy, elections and public accountability, marginalization and digital security.

 

“Digital rights are human rights in online spaces, which include the right to privacy, freedom of opinion and speech, freedom of information and communication, gender rights, and the right to freedom from violence, among others. Violation of digital rights in Africa has become a prevalent issue, and if proactive steps are not taken, it may persist,” Oluseun said.

 

The Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative (PIN), ‘Gbenga Sesan, described the conference as timely, as it is coming at a time when freedom in the digital space is threatened, more so with Twitter’s recent moves, which has seen the organization cutting off teams working on human rights and ethics.

“The times we are living in demand that we hold honest discussions to safeguard our shrinking digital spaces, and this forum provides that platform. It is, therefore, imperative to have an intellectual conversation on safeguarding the digital rights of African citizens before, during and after elections.” he added.

Also commenting, the Executive Director of EiE Nigeria, ‘Yemi Adamolekun, noted the conference would be instrumental in providing the opportunity for various stakeholders to discuss key issues on digital rights and elections in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

“This is a good forum for both the civil society and government representatives from the continent to discuss matters of importance for the continent.” she stated.

Confirmed speakers include Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen, Senior Advisor, Internet Governance, Policy Advocacy and Strategic Planning (South Africa), Mr. Anthony Okechukwu Ojukwu, SAN, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC, Nigeria), Ms. Toyin Akinniyi, African Representative, Luminate (Nigeria)  among others.

 

 

Ends…../

Note to Editors:

BudgIT is a civic organization that applies technology to intersect citizen engagement with institutional improvement to facilitate societal change. A pioneer in the field of social advocacy melded with technology, BudgIT uses an array of tech tools to simplify the budget and matters of public spending for citizens, with the primary aim of raising standards of transparency and accountability in government.

 

Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE) is a movement of knowledgeable citizens that ensures our leaders serve us. EiE launched the concept of the #OfficeOfTheCitizen as part of its 5th anniversary activities in 2015 to educate Nigerians on their rights and responsibilities. EiE’s #RSVP – Register/Select/Vote/Protect is a key voter education campaign. EiE was an integral part of the #OccupyNigeria movement in 2012 and is very active in the #OpenNASS campaign. 2020 was EiE’s 10th anniversary and it has continued to drive the #OnePerson campaign to reinforce its belief that one person can make a difference in building a better society.

 

Paradigm Initiative (PIN) Paradigm Initiative (PIN) is a Pan African social enterprise that builds ICT-enabled support systems and advocates for digital rights in order to improve the livelihoods of under-served young Africans. The organization has worked in communities across Nigeria since 2007, and across Africa from 2017, building experience, community trust and an organizational culture that positions it as a leading social enterprise in ICT for Development and Digital Rights on the continent.

 

PIN, which has presence in Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Cameroon and Kenya, has built online platforms that educate and serve as safe spaces for the reporting of digital rights violations. These mediums, in the form of reports, short films, and educational online platforms, include Ayeta, Londa and Ripoti. It is also the convener of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF), a pan-African bilingual Forum that has held annually since 2013.

 

 

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Advocacy, ICT, SDGS, Social Political

A CONVERSATION WITH DIGITAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES IN PORT HARCOURT BY TECHHERNG IN COLLABORATION WITH PARADIGM INITIATIVES

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By Smith Nwokocha

TECHHER NG IN COLLABORATION WITH PARADIGM INITIATIVE
Supported by Luminate, Osiwa, MacArthur Foundation, Shehu Musa YarAdua Founation, and Ford Foundation.
Presents:
“A Conversation with Digital Rights Advocates”.
@De Edge Hotel, GRA, Port Harcourt.
24th June, 2022.
The Session were moderated by Amina and Khajidat.
Conversation that sparks the moments were centred on “Data Protection, Online safety and Internet Governance”.
Atat, a participant opened the conversation and shared his experience in the digital space, after Amina’s (TechHer NG) Opening remark. Then, Sam Oracle emphasized on Surveillance as inevitable in the digital space.
Threat to lives of the end users of social media and a follow up question was that, what will citizens do to mitigate the growing threats of social media users? In response, a legal luminary in attendance, added that; Citizens should not over shoot their activities online, as well abuse Office holders. The same way, we have rights, we should be careful to do what is right and say what is right. Citizens should know how to exercise their rights online.


A participant mentioned how the ENDSARS saga made social media platform so relevant in Nigeria politics.
Khadijat added, Cyber-Laws in the eyes of Digital Rights Activists tend to hide a lot of illegalities.
A participant said, there are some values lost for social media being in existence. Chioma, responded and said, social media did not change our values as Nigerians, Nigeria is a secular state.
Atat, said we should have video captioning for the Disabled Community, the Digital space should be all inclusive.
John Best, talk on the Code of Practice in the Digital space not favourable to the end users.
Amina re-directed the conversation, bringing pointers from Government Policies, Platform Policies and the end-users. In order words, what we as Community can do to protect ourselves, what Government policies to protect us and Platform policies to protect ourselves.
Mr. Ihueze, encouraged we form a forum, strong community of Online users, find a way to organize ourselves, being a voice for each other and support each other were necessary.
Mr. Smith, said for individual/end-users, please don’t put too much personal information online and forming a Community of Digital Rights is a way forward.
Some feedbacks from the Disabled attendees were worth-while, that they use android’s phones too and should be fully included in the laws and practices in the digital space.
Key-Points highlighted by Khajidat (Paradigm Initiative):
Surveillance
More Awareness/education on the digital space/Online
Threat to the Social/Civic Space.
Collaboration
Chioma (TechHerNG) added by saying in all, “Internal Vigilance is the price for democracy”. We are in this together, we will continue to educate ourselves in the social and civic space.

ICT, Uncategorized

DIGITAL IDENTITY STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT IN RIVERS STATE

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Mr. Adeboye Adegoke of Paradigm Initiative sited next to Mrs. Uche Chigbo (Acting General Manager and Senior Special Assistant to DG NIMC) during her presentation

Smith Nwokocha Reports:

DIGITAL IDENTITY STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT.
Organized by: NIMC, PARADIGM INITIATIVES AND PIND FOUNDATION.

The event held at Visa Karena Hotel in Port Harcourt on the 27th July, 2021. At exactly 10:00am, the audience were sited and the key Organizers from Paradigm Initiatives staff including NIMC staff present introduced themselves. The event was moderated by Mr. Adeboye Adegoke and assisted by Khajidah El-Usman.

During the engagement proper, the NIMC Acting General Manager and Senior Special Assistant to the DG (Mrs. Uche Chigbo) took up the floor and did an excellent presentation that clarifys NIMC’s activities in Nigeria. She emphasized that; NIMC mandate, is centred around providing fundamental legal identity which includes Nigerians in diaspora. NIMC is an Agency of Government under the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.

NIMC is the provider of a secured means of authenticating the Digital Identity Tokens (NIN and Cards). Registration/Enrollment of every individual into the National Identity Database. Managing the Unique Identities of every individual living in Nigeria which includes legally foreign residents. Regulating the Nigerian Identity Sector.

NIMC FACTS AND FIGURES:
Commenced Identity Registration/Enrollment in year 2012. NIMC is for life, only the card gets expired. Enrollment for NIMC is free for first registration and a token is paid for renewal. The Enrollment is mandatory for everyone.

ENROLLMENT TARGET: Children, Adults, Diaspora, Foreign Legal Residents, Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Undocumented People.

From left The Regional Coordinator NIMC, Acting General Manager/SSA to DG NIMC, CSO Rep, Rivers State Coordinator, CSO Rep, PHWAKAWAKA Blogger

CHALLENGES: Poor funding, Connectivity, Power, Consumables and Extortion.
Cyber Insecurity is also a challenge. One key solutions for power is for CSOs to go out of there way, approach/protest PHCN on why the creeping power supply. “Security is always a moving target, there’s nothing like proof”. We need to constantly move ahead and stay updated.

ECO-SYSTEM APPROACH: Licensing over three hundred (300+) partners to aid NIN registration. For every fifty thousand (50,000) person’s, there’s an enrollment centre. NIMC has deployed a technology driven system. NIMC is pushing for “National Data Protection Law”.

NIMC captures live biometric, so you have to go to be present at the enrollment centre.

NIMC is currently present in 22 countries where NIMC registration is done. NIMC collaborate with licensed Foreign Partners for enrollment.

NIMC Mobile App can be downloaded on Google play store, if you want your mobile ID on your phone. Strategic roadmap are all outlined in NIMC’s website (www.nimc.gov.ng).

Thank you.
Q&A.

Group Photograph

Port Harcourt Wakawaka
@National Identity Management Commission
@Paradigm Initiatives
@Foundation For Partnership Initiatives in Niger Delta.

ICT, SDGS, Youth

Celebrating a Techy Trailblazer (International Girl Child Day!) ✊🇳🇬

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By Smith Nwokocha

Owanate Amachree

Q. Can we meet you, just tell us about yourself briefly and professionally?

Owanate Amachree is a Technical Writer and Content Developer at IOVLabs, owners of RSK, a smart contract platform for Bitcoin. Owanate is from Port Harcourt, Nigeria and has over two years of experience in writing technical articles and carrying out user research in the blockchain space

Owanate is also the founder of Techrity Org, an organization focused on assisting people to kick-start their career in tech. Her hobbies include reading, R & D and travelling

Q.“Digital Generation, Our Generation”… Girls now know their Digital realities including solutions to freedom of expression and their boundless potential? What’s your interpretation of this??

Girls and women since inception have been involved in technology and the digital world, there are records of women who have created technologies and languages which have been beneficial in today’s digital world.

However, there has been a decline in the involvement of girls and women in stem fields as a result of so many factors. The digital generation is for all, and not meant for any gender.

I’m glad more women and girls are getting the much needed awareness for how they can get into this digital world.

Q.Gender Equity in Digital Literacy is a driver of Economic Growth and National Advantage. How can we promote this?

I believe gender equity should not be a topic just talked about in conferences and meetings, it should be a deliberate action because an educated society with no gender roles is an empowered society.

Companies and institutions should be deliberate in ensuring an equitable society, with no gender roles. Women and girls should be given equal opportunities at leadership without recourse to their gender

Techy Stars 🌟 #Techrity

Q.How do we amplify the diversity of Tech Trailblazers like you?

There are so many institutions and bodies working hard at ensuring women get involved in the digital generation, we can amplify these voices by supporting them with the resources they need to reach these women and girls, also I believe these challenge can’t be solved without involving the men, we should all work together at ensuring gender roles are non existent and women can’t achieve this on their own.

Q.Technology is a veritable tool to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

True. If more and more people are educated on the importance of acquiring digital skills, most GBV cases would be reported and addressed, we should deploy more tech solutions with the help of community to ensure GBV is easily reported.

Q.How do we ensure Mental Health and Rights of Girls are Protected in this era?

To protect women and girls mental health, we can encourage community driven groups where women can access people who they can trust to help them deal with any challenges they are facing, with closed groups and access to mentors, we can protect the mental health rights of women and girls.

Q.Life Planning (Child Birth Spacing) is essential to help the Girl Child achieve her goals and remain Productive, true or false? If true, please can we get your opinion??

Child birth spacing is essential for the girl child, we can carry out our primary duties as women and still be productive, families should be educated on the importance of life planning so everyone is carried along, both man and woman. We will see a more quotable society in which women are not afraid to dream while also being able to carry out their basic functions in the society.

Q.Looking at the African Youth Charter, Article 23: emphasized that discrimination against Girls and young women are eliminated. Do you support the charter, if yes, Why?

Not much idea here

Q.Lastly, the SDGs embodies a roadmap for progress that is Sustainable and ensure no one is left behind. What focal SDGs Goal are you embarking?

At Techrity, we are working in line with sdg 9 to ensure we create innovative solutions that is deployed and accessible for the everyday human. We deploy the use of technological solutions to solve this challenge, in one of our Hackathons held in December 2020, we focused on building solutions to ensure people working in the informal sector affected by COVID aren’t left behind as a result of the economic downturn faced. Innovators, builders, thinkers were invited to innovate around these challenges and come up with solutions to solve them, you can find more information by visiting: https://techrity.org/build-for-social

Thank you

The Team TECHRITY