Journalists Drilled on Need to Join Digital Rights Bill Campaign

By Manka Vera Abongwa 

Leading Internet Rights NGO, A Common Future has been talking of the need for media practitioners in Cameroon to join the civil society in pressing Members of Parliament see the need to pass a digital rights legislation.

During a press conference organized by the Coordinator of A Common Future last May 17, 2019, Journalists were told that the had an interest in joining the campaign because the passage of bill would benefit them more than anyone else. 

 

Journalist attending a mobile press conference 

Colbert Gwain pointed out sections of the bill that directly speak to the protection of Journalists and other social media actors. He was of the opinion that since Journalists cannot function without the internet, it would be important for Journalists to join the education and sensitisation campaign targeted at MPs and Senators who are currently meeting in session in Yaounde.

Recalling how Journalists suffered more than anyone else when internet was shutdown in Cameroon in April 2017, the Coordinator of A Common Future told Journalists during the press conference that the passage of legislation in digital rights was one sure way of making sure internet shutdowns do not become a new Common in Cameroon.

Fielding questions on the content of the bill, Colbert Gwain said the bill was intended to make sure the rights citizens were entitled to offline were also enjoyed online. He said the bill sort to protect and promote an open, interconnected and inter-related internet in Cameroon. Issues such as freedom of speech and expression, internet access, privacy, data protection, encyrption, consumer rights, access to publicly-funded research and more importantly, the enforcement of digital rights are the main concerns of the bill.

During the one hour long question and answer session organizers also presented campaign materials to the over 30 Journalists including infographics, fact sheets and a copy of the proposed bill. 

It should be recalled that A Common Future is a leading digital rights civil society that has since the unfortunate events of 2017 that led to the longest internet shutdown the world has ever witnessed stepped up efforts for Cameroon to have a digital rights bill.

 This latest campaign to see a bill passed in parliament is benefiting from technical support and financial assistance from the International Center for Non-profit Law, ICNL, a U.S based organization working to improve the legal environment around the world.