CSOs Shine Light on Digital Rights Concerns Ahead of Zimbabwe Elections
TECHDIGEST – In anticipation of the upcoming August 23 elections in Zimbabwe, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) and Gender Media Connect (GMC) have joined forces to host an informative session dedicated to raising awareness about digital rights among female journalists and women in politics.
During the session, journalists were educated about pressing digital rights matters and were sensitized to the significance of capturing stories related to digital rights.
Bridgette Ndlovu, the Partnerships and Engagements Officer at PIN, emphasized that the occurrence of internet shutdowns and deliberate reduction of internet speeds has become a widespread occurrence within the African digital rights landscape.
She stated, “Digital rights stand as an extension of human rights. The advent of digital technologies has revolutionized the exercise, safeguarding, and violation of fundamental rights.
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“In Africa, we’re witnessing trends in digital rights violations such as internet shutdowns, dissemination of false information, online gender-based violence, and hate speech.
“These incidents have now crept into the electoral phase as political entities and candidates vie to amplify their political influence.”
Ndlovu underscored the responsibility of journalists to not only advocate for the safeguarding of digital rights but also to report instances of digital rights violations.
“Your role as journalists involves shedding light on digital rights violations, thereby fostering awareness of these challenges within communities.
“We’re aware that Zimbabwe has previously shut down the internet, and as the election approaches, our focus remains on enlightening the public about digital rights, urging their respect.”
Furthermore, Ndlovu highlighted that compromising digital rights during elections could detrimentally impact campaign efforts, given that political parties rely heavily on social media platforms to communicate their political messages.
“The breach of digital rights would not only hamper campaigning activities but also hinder the circulation of messages related to civic engagement, combat misinformation, and limit access to information about the electoral process,” she affirmed.
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