This advocacy toolkit provides an overview of the legal standards concerning the right to privacy and personal data protection in Africa and offers a set of practical tools for stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of data protection frameworks.
The toolkit is relevant as a resource for anyone who desires to understand the human rights-based approach to privacy and data protection in Africa. It aims to provide the basis for the development of further advocacy, country specific initiatives and to mobilise support for the reforms and implementation of data protection frameworks. It can also provide a basis to harmonise and strengthen engagement and advocacy across all focus countries, building our collective agency and overall effectiveness. In this regard, this toolkit is a significant step towards further buttressing advocacy on privacy and data protection in Africa.
Furthermore, the toolkit is a guide to engage with, advocate for, and inform policy makers on data protection and privacy in Africa. It can also be used as a manual by trainers in the understanding of data protection and privacy for various actors. The toolkit will also be helpful to human rights practitioners who are not specialists in privacy and data protection, to provide knowledge of this field which is becoming significant in all sectors. Non-governmental organisations, policy makers and legal practitioners will find it useful as a point of reference on data protection and privacy in Africa.
The toolkit is divided into three parts: part one provides an introduction to the international and regional human rights framework; part two delves into the content of the right to privacy and personal data protection; and part three deals with duty bearers and rights holders. The toolkit focuses on the following issues:
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Data protection terminology
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Key principles of data protection law
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Frameworks on data protection in Africa
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Rights of data subjects and obligations of duty-bearers
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Potential contributions of various role players in personal data protection and privacy
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Policy guidelines on data protection and privacy.
As issues regarding the right to privacy and personal data protection become increasingly prevalent in our everyday lives, particularly in the digital area, it is envisaged that issues highlighted in this toolkit will evolve and present opportunities of providing further guidance on data protection and privacy in Africa going forward.
This publication was produced with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).
Download the toolkit here.