Business
Paradigm Initiative announces partnership with Centre for Human Rights to drive digital inclusion
OBINNA EZUGWU
Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a social enterprise that builds an ICT-enabled support system and advocates for digital rights in order to improve livelihoods for under-served youth, and the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria have announce a partnership to offer an academic course to 30 selected participants of PIN’s programmes and the Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellowship (DRIMF).
DRIMF, according to a statement from Valery Njiaba, PIN’s Communications Officer, is a four-month fellowship with two intakes from 1 March to 30 June and from 1 August to 30 November each year.
According to her, PIN also holds a 9-month Digital Rights and Inclusion Learning Lab from 1 March to 30 November every year. Through various learning methods, fellows are introduced to the international and regional digital rights ecosystem. The objectives of the fellowship are to expose participants to the digital rights landscape and enhance their knowledge and skills in digital rights in Africa.
In the partnership, the Centre for Human Rights’ Expression, Information and Digital Rights unit will administer a digital rights course as part of the fellowship. The course will be delivered by renowned digital rights experts from the continent covering themes such as freedom of expression, access to information, elections in the digital age, artificial intelligence, privacy and data protection, and marginalised groups in the digital age. The course will also nurture advocacy skills that will be relevant in fostering strategic partnerships with major stakeholders.
About the partners
PIN is a social enterprise that builds an ICT-enabled support system and advocates for digital rights in order to improve livelihoods for under-served youth. PIN hosts 2 fellowship cohorts every year. PIN hosts innovative learning around digital rights and inclusion in Africa, and provides a space for enhanced capacity, practice and reflection within the digital rights ecosystem.
The Centre for Human Rights is both an academic institution and a non-governmental organisation focusing on human rights in Africa.The Expression, Information and Digital Rights unit is one of the Centre’s units with the objective of advancing freedom of expression, access to information and digital rights in Africa.