A list of all Kenya IGF week events with links to their detailed pages, and registration links.
Kenya Internet Governance Forum 2024 (Hybrid)
Date: 1 Aug 2024
Kenya IGF brings together stakeholders representing government, the private sector, civil society, the technical and academic community, media, and the public in an informal setting for policy dialogue on Internet governance issues on an equal basis through an open and inclusive process. This type of cooperative engagement is usually called the multistakeholder model of Internet Governance, which is one of the key features of the Internet’s success. This model is paramount to ensure that the Internet remains sustainable for economic and social development.
The Kenya IGF theme is aligned with the global IGF theme “Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future” and will respond to the local context.
Read More about Kenya IGF 2024
Privacy and Data Protection Compliance Training for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
Date: 30 – 31 July, 2024 | Venue: TBC
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) and Katiba Institute will conduct training on data protection for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kenya to build their capacity in compliance with Kenya’s Data Protection Act, 2019, and its regulations.
In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards data protection regulations globally, with Kenya enacting the Data Protection Act, 2019 to safeguard individuals’ data. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kenya are also required to comply with these data protection laws to ensure their lawful handling of the personal data of their stakeholders including staff, volunteers, donors, suppliers, beneficiaries, partners, and service providers. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to penalties and sanctions, highlighting the critical need for capacity building to support Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in navigating the complexities of compliance with privacy and data protection laws. KICTANet and Katiba Institute have recognized the importance of equipping Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with the necessary knowledge and skills to comply with the Data Protection Act, 2019 and related policy and legal frameworks. KICTANet, with its expertise in digital resilience and technology support, and Katiba Institute, focusing on strategic litigation, are well-positioned to collaborate in developing a comprehensive training program tailored for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kenya. The aim is to empower Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to understand, implement, and adhere to the provisions of the Data Protection Act while ensuring they handle personal data lawfully and ethically.
Regional Roundtable on Internet Fragmentation and Human Rights in Africa
Date: Wednesday, 26 June 2024 | Time: 1200 – 1400 WAT / 1400 – 1600 EAT
Place: Zoom https://tinyurl.com/4y3sch8a
The availability of a global open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet is necessary to exercise and enjoy human rights in the digital age. However, these basic characteristics of the Internet are currently under threat: changes to the underlying architecture of the Internet – whether due to new proposals at technical standard-setting bodies, legislative changes, or technological advances – risk fundamentally altering the functioning of the Internet as we know it. Compounding this problem is both a lack of understanding of the issue of internet fragmentation and the capacity to counter such threats, particularly among civil society in the global south. Additionally, how internet fragmentation manifests varies across Africa. To counter such threats effectively requires an Africa-specific strategy developed based on a consensus-driven understanding of the issue. Yet, currently, discussions on internet fragmentation have been largely siloed both geographically and ideologically, with such discussions largely taking place among those from the global north and among like-minded peers.
To address this gap, KICTANet and Paradigm Initiative will convene stakeholders from the private sector, policymakers, and civil society for a roundtable discussion. The roundtables are part of a series of roundtables held in collaboration with Global Partners Digital (GPD) in Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The current roundtable is a follow-up session to a similar roundtable held during the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) in April 2024.
Thought Leadership Roundtable: Policy Dialogue on Cybersecurity and Data Protection in Kenya
Date: 26th June 2024 | Time: 0800 –1430 | Venue: Nairobi
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) in partnership with the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC) are pleased to host a thought leadership roundtable “Policy Dialogue on Cybersecurity and Data Protection in Kenya”.
The cybersecurity and data protection landscape are constantly evolving hence necessitating continuous monitoring and knowledge exchange among key experts. In Kenya, the ever-evolving nature of cybersecurity and data protection has led to the enactment and amendment of key laws and regulations, the creation of regulatory authorities, and the creation of new opportunities in the workforce. For instance, in 2019 Kenya enacted the Data Protection Act, 2019 (DPA) to give effect to Article 31 of the Constitution 2010 which provides for the right to privacy. Subsequently, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), which is the office mandated to enforce and oversee the implementation of the DPA, enacted regulations in 2020 and 2021 to give effect to sections of the DPA and continues to issue guidance on compliance with the DPA.
On the cybersecurity front, some milestones hit include the enactment of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Critical Information Infrastructure and Cybercrime Management) Regulation in 2024, to operationalize the provisions of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018 and to strengthen the role of the National Computer and Cybercrime Coordination Committee (NC4) as the leading entity in coordinating cybersecurity matters in Kenya. The establishment of the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team – Coordination Centre (National KE-CIRT/CC), which is a multi-agency collaboration framework that is responsible for the national coordination of cyber security as well as Kenya’s national point of contact on cyber security matters is another step in the right direction.
However, despite the strides made, the cybersecurity and data protection landscape in Kenya is still marred with challenges that cut across government departments and services, organizations and personal levels. For instance, in July 2023, a DDoS attack was launched against Kenya’s e-citizen portal rendering the system inaccessible for several hours. Moreover, the National KE-CIRT/CC reported to have detected over 855 million cyber threats aimed at the heart of Kenya’s critical information infrastructure between July 2022 and June 2023. The suspension of Worldcoin operations introduces new challenges to the enforcement of the DPA and the nexus between personal data protection and AI development.
In light of the opportunities and challenges presented by cybersecurity and data protection, key stakeholders must engage in this knowledge-sharing session to share best practices, advice, recommendations, and information on opportunities and raise awareness to foster decisive and strategic intelligence and insights.
KICTANet’s Stakeholder Dialogue: Women’s Inclusion for a Multi-stakeholder Digital Future
Date: 25th June 2024 I 0800 – 1300 hours | Nairobi
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) in partnership with the Association of Progressive Communications (APC) are pleased to host an in-person, half-day thought leadership roundtable on 25th June 2024 on “Women’s Inclusion for a Multi-stakeholder Digital Future”.
The rapid advancement of digital technologies has brought about immense opportunities for connection, expression and economic empowerment. On the other hand, challenges such as online gender-based violence, gender inequality and privacy violations still impede the equal and meaningful participation of women in online discourses and policy procedures.
The multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance relies on diverse voices and perspectives to develop sound policies. However, women are currently underrepresented in Internet governance forums and decision-making processes. This hinders the creation of policies that adequately address issues that disproportionately affect women in online spaces such as online gender-based violence, privacy violations and gender inequality in ICT-related fields among other challenges. In recognition of these realities, the feminist principles of the internet (FIPs) were developed as a framework for shaping a more just, equitable environment for women and girls. These principles, which were developed through a multi-stakeholder process, encompass a holistic vision of an internet that respects, empowers and protects the rights of all women in all their diversities. In line with the 2024 global IGF and KeIGF theme of “Building Our Multi-Stakeholder Digital Future,” the objective of this stakeholder roundtable is to popularise the feminist principles of the internet to promote women’s meaningful participation in internet governance.
Kenya School of Internet Governance 2024
9th Edition, 10th–27th June 2024 Venue: Online via e-learning platform and webinars.
KeSIG’s mission is to increase the capacity of key actors and potential actors in the local internet governance space. These include traditional human rights defenders and civil society organizations, students, academia, the tech community, and government departments. These actors are also commissioned to participate in international internet policymaking thereby contributing African perspectives in global debates.
KeSIG 2024 will take place over three weeks.