By Dr Grace Githaiga
KICTANet participated in the opening panel of #datafest24 in Nairobi from July 17-19. The discussion centred around how data and technology are driving inclusive growth and sustainable development in Africa.
In particular, KICTANet was asked to respond to the question of how it has used its convening power to harness data and technology for policy development in Africa.
The Network has continued to facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues where it brings together diverse stakeholders, including government officials, tech industry leaders, civil society, and academia, to discuss and collaborate on policy development.
These inclusive forums ensure that a wide range of perspectives are considered, leading to more comprehensive and effective policies. For example, the Office of the Data Protection Commission (ODPC) brought together the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) for its annual general meeting where KICTANet was invited to participate.
KICTANet conducted a review of the 5 years of the existence of the Data Protection law in Kenya and launched the policy brief during this event. Other members of NADPA were interested in learning the lessons of how Kenya’s ODPC works with various stakeholders. A special sharing session between the members and stakeholders resulted.
In the area of promoting evidence-based policymaking, KICTANet organizes thought leadership workshops and seminars, where efforts are made to always invite the ODPC to provide perspectives, highlighting the importance of using data and technology to inform policy decisions.
These thought leadership series have resulted in the production of policy briefs on different aspects of data such as Guidebook on Data Protection and Privacy from a Gender Perspective, Data Protection and Privacy. A Gender Perspective, Data Protection and Digital Identity in Kenya, Personal Data & Elections 2022, just to mention a few.
This approach encourages the adoption of policies that are grounded in reliable data and empirical evidence, enhancing their relevance and impact.
Notably, KICTANet collaborates with different organisations and institutions to produce studies and reports on the intersection of technology and policy.
These publications provide valuable insights and recommendations, serving as essential resources for policymakers in the region.
In addition, KICTANet provides training sessions and resources to policymakers and stakeholders, helping them understand and leverage the potential of data and technology. A recent example is where KICTANet in collaboration with Article 19 organised a stakeholder Engagement on the ODPC Guidance Note for the Communication Sector.
Stakeholders were drawn from the telecommunications sector. This Guidance Note provides insights into the privacy concerns associated with the telecommunications sector such as surveillance, encryption, collection of data and tracking.
The aim was to raise awareness about this guidance note. Such collaborative capacity-building initiatives equip stakeholders with the necessary skills to develop and implement tech-driven policies from a point of understanding.
Through its convening power, KICTANet advocates for the integration of digital rights and data protection into national policies. A key example is when KICTANet played a key role in the government-appointed Task Force that crafted the Data Protection Bill, by providing public interest perspectives and emphasised the need to balance regulation with citizens’ rights. A key area that KICTANet affirmed was the independence of the ODPC.
Dr Grace Githaiga, CEO KICTANet
