by Dr. Radut

Internet governance

Avri Doria shares her insights on the 2016 African School of Internet Governance

This year’s African School on Internet Governance included a practicum exercise coordinated by Avri Doria, a highly respected member of both the internet technical community and the global internet governance community, as well as an APC member and volunteer. APCNews spoke with Avri to gather her insights on this year’s edition and on AfriSIG in general.

APCNews: What is your general impression about the 2016 AfriSIG?

Avri Doria: This AfriSIG was amongst the better experiences I have had in teaching in SIGs
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African governments should harness the internet to engage with citizens

There is a drive to connect one billion persons worldwide by 2020. As more Africans get online, governments have the responsibility to protect the rights and freedoms of their citizens. Yet what we see currently are increased cases of crackdown on dissenting voices. In Kenya, bloggers have been arrested; in Ethiopia, bloggers have been jailed and continue to face serious threats; in Nigeria, the government is using section 24 of the Cybercrime Act 2015 as a tool for clampdown on bloggers.

Many African countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of
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"AfriSIG has been improving every year": Interview with Dr Mawaki Chango

Dr Mawaki Chango is the Founder & Managing Director of DigiLexis Consulting. Being a recurrrent member of faculty of the AfriSIG, we thought it wise to collect his impressions about the AfriSIG 2016, in comparison with the previous edition.

APCNews: What is your general impression about the school?

Mawaki Chango: My general impression is that it has been improving and this year the diverse backgrounds of the attendees have come out complementarily in a very well-integrated manner.

APCNews: How did you
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Multi-stakeholderism is about losing: Reflections on working through the AfriSIG practicum

I first heard this statement on the first day of the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) in Dr David Souter’s lecture and overview of the Internet governance ecosystem and its key players.

Initially, I silently disagreed and to an extent, did not quite grasp the full meaning of the statement at the time. In my mind, in any discourse that seeks to incorporate the input of several stakeholders, the objective would be to win, leaving such a process after having successfully pushed through one’s stakeholder interests and positions. Otherwise what would be the point of even
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Reflections on gender and internet governance in Africa

Before I attended the Gender and Internet Governance eXchange (gigX) I did not think there was anything I could say related to gender activism. The last four days have reaffirmed the saying shared on the first day “if you are not at the table you will be on the menu”.



There is often an assumption that gender issues are only women’s rights issues but they operate on a principle of inclusivity for all-marginalised, invisible members of society. Our different intersectionalities may sometimes result in us assuming or not seeing the issues affecting others.

The gigX showed
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Barriers to women’s participation on the internet evolve with increased ‘access’

In the opening session at this year’s Gender and Internet Governance eXchange (gigXAfrica), participants highlighted some key questions they had that they hoped would be answered during the exchange. One participant innocently asked: if the internet is free for all, how are women really marginalized in that space? This is my attempt at a calm response to this question that I am slowly realising occupies the minds of many.

Indeed, the internet is now generally widely accessible, seemingly offering countless opportunities and
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