A digital rights advocacy enterprise, Paradigm Initiative has harped on the need to respect and safeguard online users’ privacy, stressing digital rights are human rights.
“We call on stakeholders, policymakers, governments, academia, businesses, and the general public to be intentional in sensitizing the masses and cautiously considering measures to ensure that the right to privacy and is given due consideration in the way data is collected and stored,” it stated.
Paradigm Initiative said this in commemoration of the Data Privacy Week, asserting that it would persist in its efforts to monitor and support the appropriate use of data collection and its protection.
” As every activity involving digital technologies leaves a trace, we are optimistic that stakeholders and major actors within the digital space will use the Data Privacy Week to educate users about privacy in the digital age.”
It noted the need to enlighten users on identifying whether their personal information is being used, what measures to take to prevent data breaches, and how to seek redress where necessary.
The initiative had drafted several policy briefs, carried out
workshops and research to best evaluate data protection situations in Africa. It developed several tools to help curb the malaise within the continent.
“Our tools of impact such as ripoti.africa a platform that enables online users to report digital rights violations in Africa including breaches of online privacy, and ayeta.africa a proactive toolkit for African digital rights actors aimed at addressing the growing need to safeguard digital rights defenders, journalists, whistle-blowers, and others working with sensitive information in the global South.”
Some of Paradigm initiative’s recent publications include the DPA report that maps out the state of data protection legislation and authorities in Africa and Assessing Data Protection in Nigeria.
Others include ‘Towards a Data Protection Legislative Framework in Nigeria’, which highlights the impact and effectiveness of the Nigerian data protection regulatory framework across different thematic areas, and ‘Nigeria’s legislative and regulatory journey towards enacting comprehensive data protection legislation.’
