Blog

It was a great privilege to attend the 11th edition of the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) 2023 convened by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the African Union Commission (AUC) and Research ICT Africa, in collaboration with Paradigm Initiative, the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Parliamentary Track, the hosts and organisers of the 2023 African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the AfIGF secretariat and Multistakeholder Advisory Group. AfriSIG… Read more

I was excited to be considered as a fellow for the 2023 African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG), held in Abuja, Nigeria from 13 to 18 September 2023. This opportunity introduced me to learning more about the biggest challenges in governance of the internet, which include the huge paradox of the gender digital divide, the application of a human rights approach in laws and policy making, and the best approach to employ in order to involve everyone in internet governance, since a lack of involvement may lead to exclusions.

The… Read more

As a participant in the 11th African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG 2023), I had the privilege of engaging with experts from governments across Africa, members of parliament from different countries, policy makers and other fellow participants to deepen my understanding of crucial topics related to internet governance, data governance and digital transformation. The insights gained during this intensive week of learning will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the national data strategy of Uganda, the intellectual property guidelines for ICT innovations, and the national… Read more

I left my three-year-old son, who had just gotten his tonsils and adenoids removed, to attend the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG 2023). It was a difficult decision, but I was determined to learn more about internet governance and how it could be used to improve the lives of people in Africa. It was comforting to know that he was not going to struggle with sleep apnea again and that I left him in the safe hands of my helper, his grandmother, his father, and above all, God.

AfriSIG was a treasure hunt for me. I discovered a new world of knowledge and insights, met… Read more

It was a beautiful night with the moonlight pouring onto the earth in Arua City away from the usually busy and noisy city of Kampala in late September 2021. That night, I was navigating the internet as usual after a long day of work and I received a rejection email for an opportunity I had applied for. I read the rejection email and said to myself, “Oh well, it is not yet your time, Sandie, perhaps another day or time.” I looked into the mirror in my hotel room and smiled unusually and said to myself, “Girl, it is just a bad day and not a bad life.”

I immediately forgot about the… Read more

The internet and networks mean a lot to me. I would like to share with you my journey with internet governance, which started in 2019 when I was granted a fellowship to attend the AFRINIC-31 meeting (AFRINIC is the Regional Internet Registry for Africa) where we got to know more about internet governance and PDP (packet data protocol, used in wireless networks).

In June 2021, I attended MEAC-SIG 2021v (the Middle East and Adjoining Countries School on Internet Governance), where I learned a lot in the context of internet governance and different stakeholders. Later, in September 2021… Read more

Unless you are an astronomer, architect or engineer, most of us toy with this question: “When will I use the Pythagorean theorem in real life?” In reality, this question is true for most things that are perceived as complex.

Typically, non-technical internet governance practitioners and champions of the internet often find themselves asking a similar question when approaching technical aspects of internet governance like domain name systems and infrastructure. On the other hand, technically inclined practitioners and champions of change typically harbour similar feelings for the… Read more

It was June 2010, the schools were about to go on a long break. The eyes of the world were on South Africa. The first African country to host the FIFA world cup. Huddled in the corner of the small and dusty school library, a little girl came across a book that spoke of computers and the internet. A place that held the promise of access to endless information at your fingertips. She dreamt of the day when she herself would, at the touch of a key, access this information. This little girl was me.

Eleven years later, this is still the reality of millions of young girls and marginalised… Read more

In theatre, they say “the world is a stage” and in life, we say that we attract what we think of and what we draw attention to.

It was in 2019 when I first heard of the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG). In my mind, I thought it was a university where one goes to attain a degree, a Master’s or even a PhD. So I gave it a shot and applied for the seventh AfriSIG while still at the foundation stage in the internet governance space and just an ordinary officer at the Internet Society (ISOC) Namibia chapter.

I surely feel like I… Read more

I heard of the African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) when I started participating in internet governance, as the ultimate school on internet governance, so naturally, I wanted to enrol. I kept tabs on the call for applications, only to find out that the 2020 one was open only for AfriSIG alumni. I was hopeful this year, so I jumped on this year’s call, amidst self-limiting beliefs on whether I would make the cut. The application process was smooth until the section that asked for referrals. My anxiety heightened. Not because I didn’t have any, but because of the self-… Read more