2023 EVENTS
Date: 18th May 2023, 0800 – 1400 hours
Launch of Accessibility of Government websites for Persons with Disability Scorecard
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), is a non-profit ICT Policy Think Tank, that acts as a multi-stakeholder platform for ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet, through the ICT Access and Equality for Persons with Disability program, has conducted research on the accessibility of government websites for persons with disabilities, and a scorecard was developed.
The launch of the report will be on 18th May 2023 from 0800 to 1400 hours EAT at the Royal Tulip Canaan Hotel, Hurlingham, Nairobi, Kenya and virtually on Zoom. Participants at the event will be drawn from the government, technical community, data protection officers, media, digital rights activists, and academia.
The aim of this meeting is to launch the research and set the next priority agenda for ICT and inclusion in public services.
To attend online, please register through our Zoom registration page. Should you have any queries, please contact Nzambi Kakusu at nkakusu@kictanet.or.ke.
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Date: 25th April 2023, 0800 – 1300 hours
Launch of Tatua Digital Resilience Centre
KICTANet together with other Africa Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA) coalition members established the Tatua Digital Resilience Centre to offer a bouquet of services to SJOs in East Africa to enhance their digital resilience, quickly respond to and recover from digital threats, and harness the power of technology to enable them to achieve their mission in a digitally changing environment. The Centre will initially provide support to SJOs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda working to advance digital rights, and thereafter scale to other organisations in East Africa, and ultimately, the continent. The Centre is also part of a wider network of resilience hubs in the region under the Ford Foundation’s Weaving Resilience initiative for Stronger Civil Society in the Global South.
The Objective of the Meeting.
- Create awareness of the work of the Tatua digital resilience centre.
- Explore ways of enhancing collaboration and partnerships to enhance the resilience of social justice organisations in East Africa.
- Launch the available tools and resources for social justice organisations.
2022 EVENTS
Date: 9th December 2022, 0800 – 1400 hours
Cybersecurity Capacity-Building Needs in Kenya
Place: The Stanley Hotel, Nairobi.
The overall objectives of the roundtable are to increase local stakeholder awareness of cybersecurity capacity-building needs and to identify common priorities for Kenya in 2023. It is expected that the meeting shall result in a policy brief outlining Kenya’s cybersecurity capacity-building needs and key recommendations to various stakeholders moving forward.
The participants will include relevant local actors drawn from the three arms of government, including key agencies and departments, private sector companies and groups, the technical community, academia, civil society groups and other non-governmental actors.
Date: 16th November 2022
KICTANet Community of Practice Workshop on the Digital Enquirer Kit on Online Gender-Based Violence and Women’s Data Protection.
Venue: Aheri Innovation Centre, Tumaini Mall Kisumu & Kakamega Community Centre.
On 16th November 2022, KICTANet conducted two community of practice workshops in Kisumu and Kakamega with 40 participants drawn from Community-Based Organisations, human rights defenders, feminists, activists, and journalists. We joined the international world celebrations for tolerance by raising awareness about the Digital Enquirer Kit (DEK), an e-learning module designed for human rights defenders, journalists, and activists around the world who are curious to tackle misinformation and learn how to navigate online safely.
For the past nine months, KICTANet developed module 5 of the DEK on Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) in collaboration with GIZ and the University of West Indies. In order to localise the contents of the DEK, we first introduced the first four modules of the Digital Enquirer Kit. Then we delved into the 6 lessons of module 5 on OGBV.
Date: 2nd November 2022
Masterclass on Gender and Data: Utilizing data while safeguarding women’s safety online.
Place: Strathmore University
This Master Class is devoted to Gender and Data. KICTANET and Unwanted Witness, Uganda will share their techniques to CSOs and media practitioners, on tips and tricks, and on how organizations and the public can take advantage of the new opportunities presented by publicly existing data while safeguarding women’s online safety.
While the advancement of technology has enabled us to share important information, it has also provided fertile grounds for gender-based violence against women and girls at an alarming rate, and with little to no accountability by perpetrators. It has fueled the perpetration of insidious harmful actions, often by partners and ex-partners but also anonymous individuals, perpetuating an environment in which violence against women and girls seems to be normalized by society. Lockdowns imposed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic only amplified this long-standing problem, with a high number of instances of online sexual abuse.
Date: Friday 28 October 2022, Time: 0800 – 1600 hours.
KICTANet Community of Practice on Online Gender-Based Violence
Place: Royal Tulip Canaan, Hurlingham Nairobi
KICTANet is pleased to launch module 5 of the Digital Enquirer Kit on Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV). For the past nine months, KICTANet had been extensively involved in the development of the e-learning module with feedback from our stakeholders held on 14th February 2022, 27th April 2022 and 22nd May 2022 at various stages of production. The module explores themes of gender dynamics, forms of online gender-based violence, gendered hate speech, harms of OGBV and tips for coping with OGBV.
Following our first Community of Practice Engagement on 27th June 2022, KICTANet will convene another round of participants as part of the module’s dissemination and localisation. This will be a full-day event with a special focus on the Digital Enquirer Kit modules and group exercises on OGBV in module 5. Finally, the participants will enroll for the Digital Enquirer Kit courses on the atingi platform in order to formally complete the course.
Date: 26th – 27th October 2022.
KICTANet Training of Trainers on Women’s Data Protection and Privacy
Place: Royal Tulip Canaan-Nairobi, Hurlingham
We are in the digital age, and data is the new oil. Kenya’s Constitution guarantees the right to privacy under Article 31. Kenya has also passed the Data Protection Act, 2019, which establishes an Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, whose role is to oversee the implementation of the Act and handle data protection complaints.
While business practices and government action have dominated data protection policies, gender has not been a focal point in policy discussions. In fact, on June 27th, 2022, KICTANet launched a policy brief on data protection and privacy from a gender perspective, highlighting these policy gaps in data governance.
KICTANet believes that women have a big stake in data protection frameworks because of the link between data breaches and offline and online gender-based violence. Granted, technology is an enabler of the right to privacy because of increased anonymity and privacy. However, it has been observed that some of the users of new technologies have employed them to violate the autonomy and human dignity of others, particularly women. Individuals can use privacy-invasive technologies and behaviors against men or women to degrade or control them. However, the behavior of some of the users of technologies disproportionately or entirely target women.
Date: 2nd September 2022
Digital Security Training for Women in Politics
Every election cycle brings intrigues, but one constant is the violence both online and offline against women in politics. We have witnessed the power of social media platforms to troll and silence women who dare to seek elective positions and express their political stances. As a result, some have shied away from digital spaces, thereby losing income and opportunities for engagement. Even worse, some have lost their lives.
For this reason, having noted the digital safety and security skills gap among women who are active in politics, KICTANet trained 31 women who are active in politics to build their capacity and strengthen their security online not only during this year’s elections but in the course of their political careers.
Date: Tuesday, 26th July 2022.
KICTANet Tech Election Observers mission training
Place: Zoom
KICTANet election observers were taken through the process of observing the elections and reporting the findings. The KICTANet technology election observers’ mission will provide a neutral and balanced impartial review of the election process and prepare a report that will be published on the KICTANet website.
- Role of Twitter in elections.
- Introduction to Kenya’s election process – Emmanuel Lubanzadio – Twitter
- KICTANet election observers process and data collection process
- Code of conduct for election observers
Date: 7-8 July 2022.
ToT Cyber hygiene training for Farmers in Laikipia – Nanyuki
Place: The Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, Nanyuki
The training in Nyahururu had 65 participants. This was a training of trainers targetting farmers and community-level trainers who lead various initiatives in their communities such as: coordinating access to digital markets, enhancing digital literacy and leading smart farming programs. The participants are expected to impart the knowledge acquired to other farmers in their respective communities.
This is a series of events supporting the project “Towards promoting cyber-hygiene awareness among 30,000 excluded and marginalised populations in Kenya” funded by UK Digital Access Program.
Date: 4-5 July 2022.
ToT Cyber hygiene training for Farmers in Laikipia – Nyahururu
Place: Breeze Hotel, Nyahururu
The training had 45 farmers, women, persons with disabilities, farmers, care givers, community health workers and youth, and persons with disabilities in the counties. The Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions are part of KICTANet’s cyber hygiene campaign launched early this year, to increase awareness on cyber hygiene and contribute to improved digital safety, security, resilience and inclusion and participation of vulnerable and marginalised communities in Kenya’s digital economy.
This is a series of events supporting the project “Towards promoting cyber-hygiene awareness among 30,000 excluded and marginalised populations in Kenya” funded by UK Digital Access Program.
Date: Wednesday, 29th June 2022.
ToT Cyber hygiene training for marginalised groups in Nairobi
Place: Desmond Tutu Conference Center and Hotel
This is a training targeting 40 participants comprising the youths, women and girls, and persons with disabilities to equip them with cyber hygiene skills, and how to stay safe online. This is a series of events supporting the project “Towards promoting cyber-hygiene awareness among 30,000 excluded and marginalised populations in Kenya” funded by UK Digital Access Program.
Cyber hygiene is the practices and steps that users of computers and other devices routinely take to improve their online security and maintain system health. Indeed cyber hygiene can be compared to personal hygiene practices to maintain good health and well-being, as cyber hygiene practices and precautions taken by users to ensure the safety, security and protection of data while maintaining the proper functioning of devices to protect them from outside attacks.
Date: Monday, 27th June 2022.
Roundtable Meeting on Privacy and Data Protection for Women
Place: Four Points by Sheraton.
KICTANet in partnership with GIZ will host three interactive discussions as part of the Strengthening Women’s Safety Online: Digital Security and Data Protection Training and Awareness Raising for Women in Kenya. In this meeting, we will launch the Data protection Policy Brief and the Community of Practice Digital Enquirer Kit
Date: Tuesday, 28th June 2022 Place: Panafric Hotel.
Dissemination of KICTANet–CIPESA Country Reports: Data Governance and Disinformation Pathways
KICTANet in Partnership with CIPESA conducted two research projects on Data Governance and Disinformation Pathways. This event will form part of our dissemination efforts as well as policy advocacy for the effective implementation of digital rights policies in Kenya. Through this exercise, KICTANet also aims to map out areas for further research and collaboration.
Date: Tuesday, 28th June 2022.
Engagement in the Use of Meta Platforms
Place: Panafric Hotel, and online via Zoom.
KICTANet and Meta will host an interactive thought leadership roundtable for stakeholders in Kenya to highlight emerging concerns arising from the use of Meta’s Platforms in Kenya. There has been widespread concern over how Meta collects and processes personal data and whether the company has sufficient safeguards to guard against data breaches and violations of the right to privacy. Indeed, the colossal fines against the company over privacy violations in Europe, have led to unease, especially in Africa where data protection is either non-existent or new. In Kenya, concerns over the data breaches such as the Cambridge Analytica Scandal and the increased cases of psychological profiling, surveillance, and targeted advertising remain. The objective of the roundtable series is to provide platforms for dialogue and engagement on the concerns and challenges arising from the use of Meta’s platforms in Kenya and to identify priority actions, potential solutions, and best practices moving forward.
Date: Tuesday, 28th June 2022.
Youth IGF 2022
Kenya Youth IGF is a youth-led structure to develop the capacity for coordinating, mobilizing, and advocating for meaningful inclusion and engagement of young people in the Kenya IGF in partnership with industry stakeholders to address key Internet issues. Following the success of last year’s edition, this year’s Kenya YouthIGF aims at serving as an interactive discussion platform for organized youth participation from all stakeholder groups to bring up their ideas and concerns. The Forum will further create opportunities for networking, collaboration, and creating long-term partnerships between key stakeholders and the community. This year, the YouthIGF is scheduled for 29th June 2022 as a hybrid format with some of the attendants physically and some can connect virtually. The outcomes of the forum will feed into the annual 16th edition of the Kenya IGF 2022 happening on 30th June 2022.
Date: Thursday, 30th June 2022, Time: 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.
Kenya Internet Governance Forum (KeIGF) 2022
Place: Panafric Hotel, and Zoom Webinar.
The Kenya Internet Governance Forum (KIGF) is an open and inclusive multistakeholder forum that annually brings together over 250 industry stakeholders representing government, the private sector, civil society, the technical and academic community, and the public to discuss Internet Governance. KICTANet has convened the Kenya IGF every successive year since 2008 in partnership with industry stakeholders, and this year commemorates the 17th Edition.
This year’s global IGF theme is ‘Resilient Internet for a shared sustainable and common future’. The Kenya IGF theme is aligned to the global IGF theme and will respond to the local context including the upcoming 2022 general election.
Seventh Edition 17 – 30 June 2022. Venue: Online via e-learning platform and webinars.
Kenya School of Internet Governance 2022
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 2022 will take place over three weeks. On the first day, participants are taken through basic concepts in internet governance with a focus on Kenya’s contribution throughout the years. Topical issues such as online protest and content generation are covered on the second day. On the third day, participants interact with policymakers such as the Communications Authority, legislative drafters, and private sector policy advocates. KeSIG 2022 has 113 participants competitively selected.
27 – 30th June 2022.
Kenya IGF Week 2022.
Date: 22nd June 2022 to 24th June 2022
Women’s Digital Security Training of Trainers
Place: Ngong Hills Hotel, Nairobi
KICTANet in partnership with GIZ is implementing a project on strengthening women’s safety online. As part of the project’s activities, KICTANet conducted a Training of Trainers on Digital Security for women. The training focused on building the digital security training capacity of 20 women aged 18 to 34 years drawn from civil society organizations. The training comes at a time when cybersecurity continues to be a growing concern with increased dependency on digital technologies by citizens and organizations. The effects of these attacks have adversely affected the resilience of media and social justice organizations limiting the impact of their work.
Although cybersecurity affects both men and women, there are clear distinctions in the patterns of attacks and how some of these attacks affect women differently, and how they affect women more severely. Women are more likely to experience harm such as gender-based violence and societal bias as they engage online. As a result, some have shied away from digital spaces thereby losing income and opportunities for engagement and even worse, some have lost their lives.
May 4 2022 8.30 am – 17.00 pm Strathmore University and via Zoom.
Partnering for Effective Connectivity and Broader Digital Inclusion
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) and United Kingdom’s Digital Access Programme (DAP) partners in Kenya are pleased to host a UK-DAP partners’ open day on Partnering for Effective Connectivity and Broader Digital Inclusion. The event, which aims to strengthen partnerships around the Digital Access Programme among existing DAP partners and beyond, will be held at Strathmore University and co-hosted by ITU and the Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet). Read the concept note here.
March 31 2022 via Zoom.
COVID 19- building better regulations Thought Leadership Series.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors of the economy including the ICT sector, which has to a large extent remained afloat. This has been partly due to the widespread digitisation and adoption of ICTs across all sectors. For example, more organizations migrated to the digital space including by establishing e-commerce platforms during the pandemic. In addition, the use of video-conferencing services became more widespread as people shifted to remote work, judicial services shifted online, conferences and meetings became virtual, and schools offered lessons through these platforms. Further, learners can now access Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) e-content and lessons at home. The increased adoption of digital services has led to an increased demand for digital services, affordable devices but also put a strain on internet infrastructure. It has also resulted in a push for more affordable, accessible, and secure broadband internet access. The pandemic has also highlighted the increasing digital divide, especially for the digitally excluded communities and marginalized groups. Read the concept note here
Tuesday, 29 March 2022 9.00 am – 4.30 pm at Sankara Hotel, Nairobi via Invitation.
Emerging Concerns on Social Media use in the Upcoming 2022 Elections
KICTANet and Meta will host an interactive roundtable for civil society to highlight emerging concerns on digital rights activism in Kenya. These include various issues such as content moderation and efforts to prevent the spread of misinformation and hate speech. Kenya has a general election coming up in 2022 where it is clear that social media networks will continue to be used by politicians for mobilisation. Social media platforms have gained traction and there is a trend where politicians share their manifestos and misinformation. Some politicians even have ‘broadcast stations’ on social media where they update their followers/supporters on their daily activities or have ‘live’ events. Popular spaces include Twitter spaces, Facebook Live, Youtube and Whatsapp. Some of their events have huge live audiences following these events. With data protection being relatively new in the Kenyan ICT ecosystem, there is little understanding among citizens and politicians on their data rights and responsibilities. Read the concept note here.
Thursday 24 February 2022, 9.00 am – 11.30 am via Zoom
Prioritizing Privacy KICTANet Thought Leadership Series
Theme: Prioritizing Privacy: What Next for the ICT Sector? KICTANet in partnership with UK Government’s Digital Access Program is pleased to host a Roundtable meeting on Privacy and Data Protection, whose theme shall be Prioritizing Privacy: What Next for the ICT Sector? The event shall take place on Thursday 24 February 2022 from 9.00 am – 11.30 am, on Zoom. Read the concept note here.
2021 EVENTS
9 December 2021, 2:00PM – 4:00PM EAT via Zoom.
Dissemination Meeting of the Scoping Study on the Digital Resilience of Social Justice Organizations in East Africa
The aim of the study – commissioned by Ford Foundation’s International Technology and Society Program and the Foundation’s regional office for Eastern Africa – was to map emerging issues, digital threats, civil society leadership, in-country organizations providing technical assistance to social justice organizations, and the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of the work conducted by the Ford Foundation, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The expected outcome is an updated and shared understanding of the digital resilience threats, challenges and opportunities for social justice organizations in East Africa. The meeting will provide a platform to enable stakeholders to discuss how the results can be leveraged to better respond to the growing digital threats to social justice organizations in the region.
25 November 2021, 10:00AM – 12:00PM EAT via Zoom.
Cybersecurity in Kenya: Priorities for a Post Covid-19 World, KICTANet Thought Leadership Series
Theme: Building Back Better. KICTANet in partnership with UK Government’s Digital Access Program is pleased to host a Roundtable meeting on Cybersecurity in Kenya: Priorities for a Post COVID-19 World, whose theme shall be Building Back Better. The event shall take place on Thursday, 25 November 2021, from 10.00 am – 12.00 pm, on Zoom. Read the blog article on the meeting.
21 September 2021 from 2.30PM to 4.30PM EAT via zoom.
Partners and Donors Round-table during the Kenya Internet Governance Week, a KICTANet Thought Leadership Series
The roundtable will provide a platform to highlight the digital rights issues in the Eastern Africa region and Africa, and possibly explore ways through which partners can leverage resources (financial, technical, networks, expertise, etc.) to better respond to threats on digital rights in the region. In addition, it is anticipated that participants will gain more clarity on topical digital rights concerns, and prioritize strategies and the way forward.
23 September 2021 from 8.30AM to 5.00PM EAT Hybrid event
Kenya Internet Governance Forum 2021
Theme: “Internet United“
22 September 2021 2:00PM to 5:00PM EAT via Zoom
Kenya youth Internet Governance Forum 2021
THEME: “Internet United: The Role of Youth”
10 to 24 September 2021 Hybrid format: Online via e-learning platform and webinars
Kenya School of Internet Governance 2021
KeSIG 2021 will take place over a period of two weeks. On the first day, participants are taken through basic concepts in internet governance with a focus on Kenya’s contribution throughout the years. Topical issues such as online protest and content generation are covered on the second day. On the third day, participants interact with policymakers such as the Communications Authority, legislative drafters, and private sector policy advocates.
