Youths who had found solace on
the internet are mobilizing to challenge all the candidates gunning for the top
job of the country come October 7, to factor in internet rights in their
manifesto. This debate on the need to advocate for protection of internet
rights, was borne out of the use of Social Media by politicians especially
candidates for Presidential election, to reach out to users mostly young
people. Young people who are virtually deprived of civic space for debates in
the ordinary world have embraced the civic space provided for them by the
internet. With over 3 million users of social media in Cameroon, the youth
population constitutes over 80% and has been using this forum to tilt
supporting debates on issues that requires government attention. This paradigm
shift has attracted Politicians and policy makers to equally monitor what the
youths are saying reason why Candidate Paul Biya decided to announce his bid
for re-election via his twitter account, come October 7. Other Candidates
aiming for the top job have created many social media accounts to garner
support from users especially the youths.
It
was in this light to protect users rights that Internet right advocate Gwain
Colbert under an NGO he heads, The Common Future Organization, launch an
advocacy trend dubbed Internet Freedom Festival as part of the annual Bamenda
Human Rights Film and Arts Festival that has been organized since 2011. This is
for users to ensure that internet rights which is a human rights, is factored
in the manifesto of all the Candidates seeking the top job and casting a vote
for a candidate is against the assurance that once in office the candidate
would sponsor a digital Rights Bill for Cameroon Internet users, given that the
Internet provides unprecedented opportunities for the realization of human
potential. In a bid to ensure that Politicians do not make use of the internet
and block it after achieving their objectives, voters must take them to task
this moment to ensure that it becomes policy not to at any moment try to
deprive users of this facility as was the case sometimes in the Northwest and
Southwest Regions. The launching of this advocacy package in a mobile
conference in Bamenda on Tuesday July 31, Internet Rights advocate Gwain
Colbert said that the advocacy which is on several from shall run up to December
2018.Other aspect of the advocacy campaign is to get more women to be aware of
the several advantages found online beyond the use of social Media. The
festival is organized under the theme curbing violence against women online.
Through this, it is intended to encourage and increase more women and girls
online without harassment. Gwain Colbert stressed that Internet Freedom
festival (IFF) is an innovative and practical way of challenging Women’s
exclusion from online space and bolster women’s rights to freedom of
expression. The project seeks to promote a feminist Internet where women’s
voice are not only heard but respected neither void of any fear of threats nor
bullying from the male folks. IFF_Cameroon would this year have advocacy work
for a safe Internet while raising awareness of digital security and censorship
issues.
Statistics have shown that women
online make up only 20 to 25% of the online community are faced with bullying, revenge
porn, blackmail, impersonation, non-consensual usage of personal information, privacy
violation, sexual harassment, stalking and other forms of harassment. If every
youth online stakes his/her vote to any candidate depending on the interest and
clear commitment they make to promoting Internet access, free speech online,
privacy and date protection, then the campaign would have achieved much in
terms of issues driven campaign.
By Ignatius Nji
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