We were pleased to have as our guest speaker Maja Romano who gave a very interesting presentation about the intersection of social media and human rights.
She shared with us her work with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), an international network and non-profit organization (founded in 1990) that advocates for human rights online and offline, focusing in internet access, privacy, freedom of expression, and gender justice. They engage with the UN Human Rights Council to promote digital rights, particularly for women and LGBTQI+ communities.
Key human rights initiatives include:
Digital Rights and Advocacy: APC works to protect human rights defenders (HRDs) from digital surveillance, gendered disinformation, and algorithmic abuse.
Gender and Technology: Through its Women's Rights Program, APC challenges discriminatory norms and works to make online spaces safer for marginalized groups.
Internet Governance: APC advocates for the internet to be treated as a global public good, governed in a democratic and transparent manner.
Environmental Justice: The network links digital technology use with environmental sustainability.
Global Participation: APC participates in the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and supports activists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Internet Rights Charter: APC developed an Internet Rights Charter that addresses access, privacy, and freedom of expression.
APC often highlights how digital spaces are used to target marginalized communities and collaborates on international resolutions to protect defenders in the digital age.