Grantee Project
@theMFWA is increasing awareness on #internetfreedom issues in Ghana. While Internet penetration, access and use among citizens in Ghana is on the rise, there remain numerous policy and legislative issues that need to be streamlined through constructive multi-stakeholder dialogue in order to realize the country’s goal of universal Internet access by 2015. Ghana’s Ministry of Communications is currently finalising work on the country’s broadband policy, however, there is limited stakeholder engagement in the country’s Internet governance policy debates and discussions, resulting in Internet policy that has been almost unilaterally determined by the government and its agencies.
Limited stakeholder engagement on these issues in Ghana is caused primarily by a low level of awareness and understanding of Internet policy issues among national media and civil society organisations. Consequently, there are limited civil society-initiated advocacy processes aimed at making a positive contribution to maintaining online freedoms and developing Internet policies that protect a free and open Web.
Through this project, the Media Foundation of West Africa aims to increase awareness and understanding of critical Internet policy issues in Ghana by the Ghanaian media and civil society organisations. The Web We Want grant has been used to initiate a civil society dialogue on Internet freedom and policy issues in the country, and to improve the knowledge and capacity of local media to report on Internet policy debates, and of civil society stakeholders in country to engage in these debates and discussions with the government.
Leave a Comment