By David Irabagiza
Across Africa, digital technologies have rapidly transformed how societies function. Technologies have revolutionised most sectors including economic, education, healthcare, and entertainment. However, these digital gains are increasingly under threat from internet shutdowns to surveillance, censorship and other forms of Tech Facilitated Violence, thus witnessing a troubling rise in digital rights violations on the continent.
On 22nd April, 2025, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) in collaboration with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) convened a training session for the Digital Rights Alliance Africa (DRAA) on Digital Rights Monitoring. The virtual training assembled 21 representatives from Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Lesotho, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria and Togo including human rights defenders, activists, legal professionals and researchers to deepen their understanding of the strategies and processes of monitoring human rights developments within the digital landscape.
The training was aimed to facilitate DRAA’s mission to foster a collaborative and inclusive digital environment across Africa by empowering Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to undertake efforts that seek to champion digital civic space and counter threats to digital rights on the continent. The members were equipped with the skills necessary to promote digital rights, and advocate for policies that uphold internet freedom, equity, and access for all, representing a proactive step toward building a coordinated monitoring initiative rooted in international standards and best practices in the region. Participants discussed the current landscape of digital rights violations which is marked by network disruptions, which are especially heightened during elections, as well as growing criminalisation of online dissent and censorship. Concerns were also raised about privacy violations and data breaches as a result of arbitrary surveillance, particularly regarding how they enable the targeting of individuals and marginalized communities, as well as inadequate data protection frameworks.
Shabnam Mojtahedi, a Legal Advisor on digital rights at ICNL emphasised that digital rights monitoring processes should uphold principles of ethical data collection, verification, and victim protection. While presenting on data protection, she noted the need for clear data collection processes which allow data subjects to know who is collecting, accessing and using or analysing their data. In the absence of clear processes, data subjects remain exposed to unwarranted access and use of their data – often outside the prescribed data protection standards.
The training highlighted the different monitoring approaches to include (i) case monitoring, which focuses on individual or localised incidents, and; (ii) situation monitoring, which examines broader patterns and trends.
In addition, event-based monitoring for moments like protests or campaigns, and legal monitoring, which typically involve tracking policy changes, enforcement practices, and compliance with national and international obligations were highlighted as critical for ensuring timely responses to digital rights violations, informing collective advocacy strategies, and holding duty bearers accountable.
A significant portion of the training focused on building a robust methodology for monitoring as essential to ensure credibility and trust in digital rights monitoring findings. In an age of misinformation, systematic verification helps prevent the spread of false narratives and strengthens the impact of advocacy by ensuring that findings are accurate, verifiable and reliable. Emphasis was placed on methods such as triangulating sources, cross-checking facts, and leveraging metadata to verify digital content. For example, using weather data or reverse image searches can help confirm the authenticity of user-generated content. These verification techniques are critical in an age of disinformation and digital manipulation.
Participants were encouraged to clearly define the scope of their monitoring work by answering essential questions such as: What will be monitored? Who is affected? Where is the focus area geographically? And for how long will the monitoring be conducted? These questions serve as the foundation for credible and targeted monitoring efforts.
In response to the wealth of knowledge and tools shared, participants voiced the significant challenges they face while monitoring digital rights. These include threats to their own safety, lack of resources, weak legal protections and Internet disruptions that impede research and other monitoring efforts across countries.
As digital ecosystems evolve, so must our efforts to defend human rights online. Training sessions like these not only build knowledge but also foster solidarity among civic society actors committed to an open, inclusive, and rights-respecting digital realm in line with the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa 2020-2030.
Following the training, key recommendations emerged in order to facilitate meaningful and effective monitoring of civil liberties in the online space by DRAA members. Among these included.
- Implement consistent digital security measures such as encrypting data, maintaining secure device practices, and regularly backing up information collected during monitoring processes.
- To ensure the sustainability of digital rights monitoring initiatives, DRAA members should prioritize long-term resource planning and explore diversified funding strategies.
- Establish a clear and standardized data management workflow that defines who collects, inputs, accesses, and analyzes data, along with consistent procedures to ensure accuracy and accountability in digital rights monitoring.
- Establish regular and sustained coordination mechanisms among organizations engaged in digital rights monitoring to promote collaboration, share evidence, and avoid duplication.