By Jackline Akello

The Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) is a landmark event that convenes various stakeholders from the internet freedom, governance and online rights arenas in Africa and beyond to deliberate on gaps, issues and opportunities for advancing privacy, access to information, freedom of expression, non-discrimination and the free flow of information online on the continent.

The Forum responds to rising challenges to the enjoyment of internet freedom in various countries, including arrests and intimidation of online users, internet disruptions, and a proliferation of laws and regulations that undermine the potential of digital technology to drive socio-economic and political development on the continent.

FIFA strives to put internet freedom on the agenda of key actors including policy makers, regulators, human rights defenders, law enforcement representatives, and the media, paving way for broader work on advancing online rights in Africa and promoting the multi-stakeholder model for internet governance.

The engagement at the Forum aims to reflect the current trends and concerns in access and usage of the internet and related technologies on the continent at any given point in time. As such, each year has its theme based on the state of Internet Freedom in Africa at that point.

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