Registration opens for Upcoming Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum
Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum delegates in 2024. [Photo/Paradigm Initiative]
Registration is now open for the 2025 Edition of Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF25), a bilingual global gathering that will convene hundreds of delegates in Lusaka, Zambia, from April 29th to May 1st, 2025.
This will be the 12th Edition of the signature event hosted by pan-African organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) in conjunction with its partners, Bloggers of Zambia, Common Cause Zambia, Internews Network Zambia, Internet Society Zambia, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, Zambian Cybersecurity Initiative Foundation (ZCSI), and the Zambia Ministry of Technology and Science.
At the same time, Paradigm Initiative is for the first time in the organisation’s history providing delegates with an opportunity to support digital rights and inclusion efforts by purchasing tickets for the event, which will be held under the theme, “Promoting Digital Ubuntu in Approaches to Technology.” This new development resonates with the theme that calls for inclusive and collaborative approaches to advancing digital rights and inclusion across the Global South. As much as PIN provides delegates the opportunity to support the event by purchasing tickets, it does not deny those who would wish to attend the event for free from doing so. The free registration which opened today, 20th February, 2025, will however close on 20th March, 2025.
The event, which will be held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) will be attended by representatives from government, non-governmental organisations, academia, media, funding partners, the United Nations, the technical community, and the private sector within the digital ecosystem to share experiences and map strategies that transcend geographical boundaries.
The event’s thematic areas are; Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Trust and Accountability, Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Digital Inclusion and Marginalised Groups, Digital Security, Human Rights and Freedoms.
DRIF2025 sponsors include Ford Foundation, Luminate, Mott Foundation, Google, Meta, Wellsprings, Kingdom of the Netherlands, MacArthur Foundation, and Wikimedia Foundation.
The 2024 Edition of DRIF was held in Accra, Ghana, attracting 1,044 registered attendees and delegates from 61 countries across the world. In 2023, DRIF which was held in Nairobi, Kenya was attended by 601 participants drawn from 54 countries across the world.
In 2024, the organisation hosted over 80 sessions, an increase from 2023’s 70 sessions. DRIF24 incorporated a blend of panel sessions, launches, tech demos, pre-event workshops, lightning talks and exhibitions under diverse tracks including digital rights, digital inclusion and digital security. Key among them was the exclusive premiere of PIN’s fourth short film Undersight, the launch of the organisation’s annual digital rights and inclusion report Londa, and digital toolkits, Ayeta, and Ripoti. The 2023 Londa report presented findings covering 26 African countries. PIN has received 346 session proposals for DRIF 2025 including world cafes, workshops, day zero events, exhibitions, tech demos, lightning talks and panel sessions.
Commenting on the registration exercise, Thobekile Matimbe, the organisation’s Senior Manager, Partnerships and Engagements said DRIF25 was not just a convening of delegates but an event that provides the organisation with a platform for building a digital community rooted in Digital Ubuntu, where collaboration and inclusivity drive the future of technology.
“As we plan our gathering in Lusaka, Zambia, we look forward to engaging with diverse stakeholders to shape policies and innovations that ensure collective approaches, digital rights and inclusion for all. This is our moment to bridge gaps, foster trust and champion an inclusive and tech-driven future. The great response we have so far garnered from session hosts demonstrates immense interest in DRIF2025. We would like to express our utmost gratitude to all those who honoured our Call for Session Proposals which ended on January 30th, 2025. The session hosts should expect to receive feedback from us on 28th February 2025,” she said.
The Forum is the arena for tough topical global issues on digital rights and inclusion, accommodating views and opinions from civil society, technology companies, government, academia, and other stakeholders. The upcoming edition will build on the discussions from the 11th edition, which focused on Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age.
