WikiIndaba 2024/Proposal/Building the Internet we want across Africa through policy advocacy
This is an open submission for WikiIndaba conference 2024 that has been reviewed by the members of the Programs committee. |
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Building the Internet we want across Africa through policy advocacy | ||
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| Author(s): Justice Okai-Allotey, Olushola Olaniyan, Terry Boke, Ziski Putz & Veronica Thamaini | Username(s): User:FPutz_(WMF) and User:VThamaini (WMF) | Session type: Roundtable | |
| Affiliation: WMF, Wikimedia Ghana User Group, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Wikimedia Community User Group Kenya | Session track(s): Movement Governance | ||
| Abstract:
Wikimedians across Africa have taken significant strides to remind African leaders that our movement has valuable lessons to share when it comes to realizing an online world where rights are respected, indigenous languages are preserved, and African voices are telling African stories. They have done so by presenting at major conferences like RightsCon and the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum, by participating in international campaigns like the Global Digital Compact, and presenting before parliament. This roundtable discussion will focus on how Wikimedians can shape digital policies that affect the continent. Speakers will share what motivated them to pursue policy initiatives, the misconceptions about Wikimedia they have encountered, what they’ve learned from these experiences, and how they plan to take that momentum forward. Participants will learn how video material is being used to promote freedom of panorama in Ghana, how Wikimedians in Nigeria are advocating to protect open knowledge at the UN-level, and how others in Kenya and Uganda are starting to build advocacy strategies. Join us to hear firsthand accounts of how and why African Wikimedians are joining policy discussions and to discuss the strategic steps we can take to further our impact. |
Audience : Medium | ||
| Mode: In-person | |||
| Special requirements: Potentially translation (French) | |||
| How will this session be beneficial for the communities in the region?
Communities in the region are showing a growing interest in public policy advocacy. African Wikimedians are applying for WMF grants that involve advocacy work, are attending international Wikimedia conferences dedicated to building an advocacy network, and are thinking about how to build local advocacy strategies. But these developments are happening in isolation. The goal of this roundtable is to bring together the community members who are interested in policy advocacy so that they can share their ongoing work, future plans, and coordinate so that their advocacy initiatives complement each other. This coordination is essential to ensure that advocacy work done in each country will benefit the Wikimedia movement across the entire continent. | |||
- Interested participants
(register below and ask your questions now to the session organiser)