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Invitation: #Tech4Rights Expo

The Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria hosted the #Tech4Rights Expo, which was held online from 26 to 29 October 2021.

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The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria launched the #Tech4Rights campaign in 2020. This campaign focuses on the impact of new technologies on different aspects of human interaction including: businesses, democratic development, children’s rights, persons with disabilities, electronic evidence, strategic litigation and other key areas of human rights that intersect with new technologies. As part of this campaign, the Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit of the Centre will host an online #Tech4Rights Expo from 26 to 29 October 2021.


About the Expo

Join academics, civil society, human rights defenders, state and private sector representatives, artists, and many more in exploring how technology influences human rights.

Let us as stakeholders collectively find ways to leverage digital technologies for the advancement of human rights in Africa.

Among the themes featured in the Expo include business, education, democratic development, artificial intelligence, children’s rights, and persons with disabilities.

Come and sample the multi-layered and innovative efforts of various stakeholders in using technology for human rights.

Be part of this discussion from the 26th of October to the 29th of October 2021!

Objectives

  • To facilitate the sharing of knowledge, experiences and lessons learnt in harnessing new technologies for the advancement of human rights, and combating challenges;
  • To provide a platform for engagement with duty bearers on adoption of human rights approaches to implementation of digital technologies in Africa;
  • To build stronger regional partnerships for advocacy on the effective use of digital technologies for human rights protection; and
  • To provide a space for creative minds to showcase innovative tools, applications and strategies for the promotion and protection of human rights in the digital age.

 


About the #Tech4Rights Campaign

Keeping up with disruptions: Rethinking a human rights-based approach to new technologies in Africa.

View #Tech4Rights campaign activities

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The surge of technological advancements in the last few decades has had major impacts on our society in an unprecedented manner. We see the effect in the transformation that is occurring in the shifts within healthcare delivery, access to education, coordination of protests, engagement in warfare and several other examples. In as much as we have come to see the disruptions caused by technologies, its rapidly evolving nature makes it challenging to have all the answers at present on its impact on human rights protection. There is a potential dark side to the technological innovations being witnessed today which begs the question: In what ways do technologies impact human rights protection in Africa?

For instance, there is a growing concern for the impact robotic innovations will have on the workforce as well as ensuring accountability during conflict and warfare. There is also documented evidence of how new technologies are impacting democratic development across the world while considering how artificial intelligence through facial recognition technologies is aiding the work of policing but concurrently fostering systemic bias. While we have achieved a more connected global world, we have also succeeded in compromising human rights protection.

As much as technologies provide opportunities to advance human rights protection, there is a need to have the difficult conversations that focus on responsible innovations and rights-respecting technologies that put human rights first.

The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria as a leading human rights organisation in Africa that works on most of these issues in its capacity as a research, advocacy and academic department is, therefore, launching a yearlong campaign in 2020 that focuses on the impact of new technologies on different aspects of human interaction. The campaign will have a series of activities that look into technology in the following specific areas: business and human rights; democracy and digital technologies; children’s rights and new technologies; assistive technologies and persons living with disabilities; electronic evidence and strategic litigation and other key areas of human rights that intersect with new technologies.

#Tech4Rights

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