Deadline: 21-Aug-20
The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) and Paradigm Initiative (PIN) are pleased to announce the 2020 edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica20) and to invite session proposals.
This landmark event convenes a spectrum of stakeholders from across the internet governance and digital rights arenas in Africa and beyond to deliberate on gaps, concerns, and opportunities for advancing privacy, free expression, non-discrimination, and the free flow of information online.
In light of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, FIFAfrica20 will adopt a hybrid approach that blends online and physical interactions. As such, they welcome session proposal applications including but not limited to:
- In-country physical convenings of no more than 25 people as permitted and guided by Covid-19 in-country regulations.
- Virtual sessions such as webinars, panel discussions, presentations, lightning talks.
- Live social media engagements (Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Twitter Chats, etc).
- Pre-recorded materials such as short documentaries and podcasts.
- Virtual exhibitions e.g. photography, digital stories, illustrative art, etc.
Aim
- FIFAfrica 2020 will aim to Livestream the successful sessions and to engage wider audiences via social media.
- Subject to need and scope, limited funding is available to support coordination, technical and logistical aspects of successful session proposals. Cost-sharing and collaborative partnerships are strongly encouraged.
About CIPESA
- The Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is one of two centers established under the Catalysing Access to Information and Communications Technologies in Africa (CATIA) initiative, which was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID). CIPESA focuses on decision-making that facilitates the use of ICT in support of development and poverty reduction.
- CIPESA’s establishment was in response to the findings of the Louder Voices Report prepared for DfID and the G8 Dot Force Implementation Team, which cited the lack of easy, affordable and timely access to information about ICT-related issues and processes as key a barrier to effective and inclusive ICT policy-making in Africa.
- While based in Kampala, Uganda, CIPESA has worked across East and Southern Africa, informing policy-making, and stirring debate and convening productive gatherings. They work with networks, individuals, and organizations (private sector, governmental, academic, civil society) across the region, and they are key members of several African and international initiatives that aim to improve the inclusiveness of the Information Society. CIPESA is a member of the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) and the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).
- Since inception, CIPESA has positioned itself as a leading center for research and analysis of information aimed to enable policymakers in the region to understand ICT policy issues, and for various multi-stakeholders to use ICT to improve livelihoods. They produce and publish commentaries, briefing papers, and newsletters that are widely circulated.
For more information, visit https://cipesa.org/2020/08/fifafrica20-call-for-proposals/