APC at the Stockholm Internet Forum

The Stockholm Internet Forum (SIF) is an international space for discussion of internet-related issues hosted by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), which takes place every two years in Stockholm.

This year, the event will take place fully online between 10 and 12 May, preceded by the activities happening at the Pre-SIF on 7 May 2021, under the theme “Mobilising for Digital Resilience – a free, open, and secure internet in the shifting landscapes of the pandemic”.

SIF represents a key opportunity for advocacy and networking, as well as the chance to showcase APC’s ongoing work on access, human rights, governance, a feminist internet and environmental sustainability.

APC's participation at SIF will focus on highlighting strategies to counter gender-based violence online, discussing the intersections between technology, the environment and the exercise of human rights, debating the impact of COVID-19 on human rights, and promoting meaningful internet access and ways to decrease the digital divide.

APC is also managing the program for financial support for remote participation grants in collaboration with Sida.

To participate, access this link.

To follow the event online, follow #SIF21 on Twitter.

Sessions organised and co-organised by APC

Pre-SIF

Friday 7 May

14:30 – 15:30 CEST

Defining a collective digital rights strategy for Africa

This session will bring together representatives of key networks on the African continent to discuss digital rights in Africa.

Organised by APC and CIVICUS.

14:00 – 15:00 CEST

Safety and freedom of women human rights defenders online

Mobilising towards the Paris Generation Equality Forum for indispensable measures and urgent action to protect the online space of WHRDs.

15:00 -16:00 CEST

Applying a feminist lens to freedom of expression and opinion

Consultation with Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

16:00 – 17:30 CEST

Civil Society-Government Dialogue: The Americas

An interactive dialogue between regional civil society and supportive international governments on the state of human rights on the internet.

Organised by the Embassy of Sweden in Guatemala City and APC.

SIF

Monday 10 May

11:45 – 12:45 CEST

Short Film Festival – Connecting the Unconnected: Workings of a community network

The session will discuss how communities are addressing social and digital disparities which became apparent due to the pandemic.

Organised by APC, Janastu/Servelots (India), Coolab (Brazil) and La Différence/Pamoja Net (DRC).

Tuesday 11 May

11:45 – 13:15 CEST

Workshop – Climate defenders and digital civic space: Challenges/threats

Climate defenders and CSO actors face threats and challenges in the digital environment. What are they and what’s the way forward?

Organised by the Mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, APC, and the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law in collaboration with Sida.

14:15 – 15:00h CEST

Panel discussion – 26 years after Beijing: Women human rights defenders online

Policy recognition of online gender-based violence against WHRDs – and increased attacks in the pandemic and a shrinking democratic space.

Organised by APC in collaboration with Sida.

Wednesday 12 May

11:45 – 12:45 CEST

Panel discussion – Stage/open session - COVID-19: Counting the cost on digital rights in Africa

This session will focus on findings by digital rights networks and researchers on the impact of COVID-19 on digital rights in Africa.

Organised by APC and the Centre for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria in collaboration with Sida.

14:15 – 15:15 CEST

Workshop/group session – Tech exchange for safe feminist infrastructure online

Feminist safety trainers are building new tech infrastructure and dreaming and designing new ways of digital organising during the pandemic.

Organised by the APC Women’s Rights Programme in collaboration with Sida.

Suggested readings

On meaningful access:

• Global Information Society Watch 2018 - Community Networks

• Expanding the telecommunications operators ecosystem: Policy and regulatory guidelines to enable local operators

• Innovations in Spectrum Management: Enabling community networks and small operators to connect the unconnected

• Bottom-up Connectivity Strategies: Community-led small-scale telecommunication infrastructure networks in the global South

• Community networks project

On human rights online:

• Global Information Society Watch 2019 - Artificial intelligence: Human rights, social justice and development

• Privacy and personal data protection in Africa: Advocacy toolkit

• The struggle for the realisation of the right to freedom of expression in Southern Africa

On a feminist internet:

• Gender approaches to cybersecurity: Design, defence and response

On environmental sustainability:

• GISWatch 2020 - Technology, the environment and a sustainable world: Responses from the global South

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: A guide to circular economies of digital devices (A preview)

On the COVID-19 pandemic and human rights:

• The impact of COVID-19 on digital rights in Africa

• African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition: Position paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

• Closer than ever: Keeping our movements connected and inclusive – The Association for Progressive Communications' response to the COVID-19 pandemic

• Closer than ever: A guide for social change organisations who want to work online