Strengthening Ugandans’ Rights to Freedom of Expression through Policy Advocacy and Media (SURFACE)
Funder: The International
Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)
Project
overview
Social media has increasingly been a
powerful tool in promoting rights to access information and freedom of
expression globally. In Uganda, social media has been used by the government to
engage citizens on national development policy initiatives. The social media
platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp are widely used in Uganda and
many other African Countries. Recognizing the growth in the number and reach of
social media, several governments and state actors have adopted regulatory and
legal frameworks to ensure online safety and legal use of social media to
prevent illicit online activities and crimes. However, Uganda is one of those
autocratic countries in the world where access to information and freedom of
expression is considered to be dangerous to the ruling government because those
in power prefer not to face inconvenient questions from journalists or the
public. The project’s specific objective was to Improve effective reforms and
implementation of existing national laws and policies that govern the right to
access information and freedom of expression on social media. This Project aimed
aims Enhancing Women’s Rights Online through evidence-based Policy Advocacy and
Media. The project was able to produce a research report, policy brief, and
legal education guide for social media users that increased the level of
understanding and knowledge of existing international and national regulatory
and legal frameworks that govern the right to access information and freedom of
expression on social media.
Project
Duration: February 2021 -July 2021
