- The Digital Localization Community
The first session this morning brought together different language groups, particularly Luganda and Shona, for a localization sprint of an existent glossary on Transifex.com. This initial glossary helps different tech tools to provide their content to users across the globe in local languages. English as a main medium for most technological platforms, including mobile phones, can create a barrier towards adoption.
Localization Lab brings together communities to actively work on translating most commonly used or useful tools such as Signal to local languages. Get in touch with them to join an existing community or start working on a new language!
2. What are Digital Rights?
In the afternoon, Media Legal Defence Initiative led us through an interactive group session on digital rights and litigation. We learned that whatever our rights are in the offline world, so are they online! But increasingly, we find ourselves stifled online through internet shutdowns, forced information provision such as during SIM card registrations or when companies mine and sell off our personal data.
3. What is Strategic Digital Litigation?
Having no law experience, it was actually an enlightening experience to work with lawyers on a specific digital rights violation case. I was definitely a bit worried going in but the session was great in breaking down the concepts and making participants think about how to tackle repressive laws on digital freedoms. Five groups presented five different topic areas on cases ranging from cybercrime laws to unlawful sharing of information by private companies.
“Strategic human rights litigation seeks to use the authority of the law to advocate for social change on behalf of individuals whose voices are otherwise not heard.”
- Open Society Foundation Justice Initiative
In other words, strategic litigation is aimed at bringing about change either to the law, how it’s applied or around general policies on an issue. Strategic litigation is part of a bigger movement whose impact is not just focused on the individual client/group but one that has consequence on broader human rights.
4. Singhal vs. India, or How a 21-year old saved Online Free Speech in India
During our session on digital litigation, we were presented with the example of Shreya Singhal vs. Union of India. After the arrest of two teenagers for voicing their opinions and liking a post on Facebook, young lawyer Shreya Singhal filed a petition with India’s Supreme court for the violation of the right to free speech provided for by India’s constitution. After hard work by a team of lawyers, three years later, the Supreme Court upheld the value of free speech and expression by agreeing with the petitioners. This decision was hailed as a triumph of free speech and activism, and particularly so as an example to countries across Africa battling stifling Cybercrimes laws.
5. Language barrier is a Reality at Conferences
During our first session, we had a French speaking participant introduce himself. However, being a predominantly English conference, there was quite a struggle. What made it even more interesting is that this happened during a conversation about localization of content for languages in Africa!
Given that this is a meeting on Internet Freedom across Africa, and that our Francophone neighbors in Cameroon and Togo have suffered immensely from internet shutdowns this year, it has really got me wondering about how we can make our meet-ups more inclusive. Not just for English and French, but even beyond. Localization of digital tools is one step, but when our reports are largely funded for English and French speaking donors, what does that do for knowledge sharing and preservation in our countries?
What’s next?
Day 0 was a blast and I’ve immensely enjoyed meeting the community! Looking forward to the next few days here in Johannesburg. Follow along with the hashtag #FIFAfrica17.
Written by Neema Iyer
