Leveraging the Universal Periodic Review for digital rights advocacy at FIFAfrica 2025

During the 2025 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa, held from 22 to 26 September in Windhoek, Namibia, CIPESA, in partnership with Small Media, convened a two-day, in-person dialogue focused on digital rights advocacy. The workshop, titled ‘Amplifying Achievements of Digital Rights Advocacy through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR): Testimonies from Our Partners‘, took place on 23 and 24 September 2025 as part of FIFAfrica week.

Over the two days, the workshop combined structured learning and peer exchange to strengthen the capacity of local CSOs to leverage the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism for digital rights advocacy. The workshop included a keynote address by EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins, practical sessions on the UPR process (including pre-review, review and follow-up stages), and presentations of key advocacy and research resources relevant to engaging in international human rights mechanisms. Dialogues centred on case studies from Malawi, Namibia and Nigeria, complemented by country exchanges with participants from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. These discussions focused on practical experiences of CSO–government collaboration, lessons learned, and barriers to effective engagement in advancing digital rights through national, regional and international advocacy. The workshop also incorporated creative approaches to storytelling and advocacy.