The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa
The study sought to empirically test the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) to the advancement of human rights, drawing on the fact that safeguarding human rights through the use of ICT is a field of increasing interest to academics and those working towards the advanceme...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/13/8/362 |
| _version_ | 1797432081388666880 |
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| author | Courage Mlambo |
| author_facet | Courage Mlambo |
| author_sort | Courage Mlambo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study sought to empirically test the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) to the advancement of human rights, drawing on the fact that safeguarding human rights through the use of ICT is a field of increasing interest to academics and those working towards the advancement of human rights and development practitioners. The literature on ICT and human rights holds the view that ICT can play a significant role in the advancement of human rights. ICT has become an essential instrument for realising human rights, and ensuring its accessibility must be a primary concern for all governments. However, despite the increase in ICT usage, the southern African region has been marred by atrocities and human rights violations. Many southern African governments regularly impose restrictions on human rights defenders, journalists, and rights activists, often to suit political goals. The use of ICT has extensive effects on the human rights agenda and forms an important tool in its endeavours to gather, analyse, and spread information and advocate for fitting remedies in response to human rights infringements. It is against this background that this study sought to examine the contribution of ICT to the advancement of human rights. The study was quantitative in nature, using panel data to estimate its model. The findings reveal a weak positive relationship between ICT and the advancement of human rights. The study recommends that governments and civil society encourage the use of ICT functionality in ways that advance human rights. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:55:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-34d4add363e44fd882ad97131fa08546 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-2489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:55:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-34d4add363e44fd882ad97131fa085462023-12-01T23:48:58ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892022-07-0113836210.3390/info13080362The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern AfricaCourage Mlambo0Department of Public Administration and Economics, Faculty of Management Sciences, Mangosuthu University, Durban 4133, South AfricaThe study sought to empirically test the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) to the advancement of human rights, drawing on the fact that safeguarding human rights through the use of ICT is a field of increasing interest to academics and those working towards the advancement of human rights and development practitioners. The literature on ICT and human rights holds the view that ICT can play a significant role in the advancement of human rights. ICT has become an essential instrument for realising human rights, and ensuring its accessibility must be a primary concern for all governments. However, despite the increase in ICT usage, the southern African region has been marred by atrocities and human rights violations. Many southern African governments regularly impose restrictions on human rights defenders, journalists, and rights activists, often to suit political goals. The use of ICT has extensive effects on the human rights agenda and forms an important tool in its endeavours to gather, analyse, and spread information and advocate for fitting remedies in response to human rights infringements. It is against this background that this study sought to examine the contribution of ICT to the advancement of human rights. The study was quantitative in nature, using panel data to estimate its model. The findings reveal a weak positive relationship between ICT and the advancement of human rights. The study recommends that governments and civil society encourage the use of ICT functionality in ways that advance human rights.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/13/8/362human rightshuman rights defenderscitizen surveillanceICTdigital authoritarianism |
| spellingShingle | Courage Mlambo The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa Information human rights human rights defenders citizen surveillance ICT digital authoritarianism |
| title | The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa |
| title_full | The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa |
| title_fullStr | The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa |
| title_short | The Nexus between Information Communication Technology and Human Rights in Southern Africa |
| title_sort | nexus between information communication technology and human rights in southern africa |
| topic | human rights human rights defenders citizen surveillance ICT digital authoritarianism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/13/8/362 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT couragemlambo thenexusbetweeninformationcommunicationtechnologyandhumanrightsinsouthernafrica AT couragemlambo nexusbetweeninformationcommunicationtechnologyandhumanrightsinsouthernafrica |