{"id":19849,"date":"2026-03-16T08:49:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/youthdemocracycohort.com\/?page_id=19849"},"modified":"2026-04-13T12:43:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T12:43:05","slug":"recommendations-digital-rights","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/youthdemocracycohort.com\/recommendations-digital-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"4 ways to strengthen Digital Rights in West Africa & in the Sahel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Grab our toolkit<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Digital transformation is an essential factor in strengthening human rights and democratic governance as it can provide tools that enhance transparency, accountability and effective public participation. While Africa’s digital transformation is progressing, the digital divide<\/a> is still major. As measured by Afrobarometer<\/a>, still 46% of the population in Africa never uses the Internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the face of a shrinking civic space and increased crack down on civil society<\/a>, the online space is a refuge for activists. Digital tools and networks allow them to organise themselves, raise awareness and mobilise citizens, as seen in Togo, in June 2025, where the Internet was used to call for mobilisation<\/a>. However, authoritarian regimes are striking back and doubling down on surveillance<\/a>, making it even more difficult and risky to engage safely online. At worst, countries even resorted to bandwidth lowering or internet shutdowns, as seen during the September 2025 Referendum in Guinea and the October 2025 elections in Cameroon. The Sahel and West Africa region is also facing a massive disinformation campaign<\/a> led by external actors and spread by populations lacking a strong media environment and digital literacy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given this context, the Youth Democracy Cohort<\/a> (YDC) has developed this set of Policy Recommendations for consideration by the African Union Commission, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights and to Regional institutions (ECOWAS, ECCAS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These recommendations draw from the experience of YDC members in 8 West African countries: Cameroon, Chad, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Togo. These organisations are youth organisations advocating for digital rights supported through the Digitalise Youth project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our recommendations: <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The African Union must provide legislative standards and practical tools for African states to protect digital democracy and digital rights based on existing conventions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key components of this official interpretation would include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n