Advocacy for Change through Technology in India, Malaysia and Pakistan | Association for Progressive Communications

23 October 2016 | Updated on 23 August 2022

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has teamed up with members and partners in India, Pakistan and Malaysia to protect and promote human rights on the internet.

Our partners

Advocacy for Change through Technology in India, Malaysia and Pakistan, abbreviated as APC-IMPACT, is a joint initiative between Digital Empowerment Foundation (India), EMPOWER (Malaysia) and Bytes for All, Pakistan (Pakistan).

Who will we work with?

Human rights defenders, national organisations, policy makers, regulators, internet service providers, lawyers, members of the judiciary and regional and global rights mechanisms.

Our objectives

Research, document and monitor

Provide national actors with knowledge, tools and networks so that violations can be monitored, reported and addressed.
Publish country reports on the state of freedom of expression and freedom of association online.
Publish thematic papers on internet rights-related topics of particular relevance in the region, like hate speech, counterterrorism and cybersecurity.
Create an online platform for monitoring and documenting internet rights violations in APC-IMPACT countries.

Build capacity

Build on and customise APC’s Internet Rights Are Human Rights curriculum as well as our Digital First Aid Kit, to be tailored to local languages and contexts for roll-out in India, Malaysia and Pakistan.
Support human rights defenders and assist organisations with secure online communications strategies.

Support networking and advocacy

Participate in country consultations on the Universal Periodic Review process, a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council aimed at improving human rights on the ground.
Support and amplify country campaigns to improve freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and the right to information online.
Engage in regional and international forums to advance recognition and understanding of internet rights.

Strengthen institutions

Engage with UN Special Rapporteurs around the state of internet rights in India, Malaysia and Pakistan.
Organise a regional workshop with national human rights institutions, human rights defenders and civil society organisations in India, Malaysia and Pakistan.