This course offers an introduction to internet shutdowns, including an overview of the shutdown problem and examples of different ways governments shut down the internet and other communications channels. It will examine how internet shutdowns exacerbate human rights abuses and interfere with democratic processes. The course looks into who is fighting back and multi-stakeholder advocacy strategies used by the global #KeepItOn coalition to end internet shutdowns.

Introduction to Internet Shutdowns

Advocating and Campaigning Against Internet Shutdowns

#KeepItOn Campaign Manager, Access Now

Felicia Anthonio

@FelAnthonio

Introduction to the course

The facts on internet shutdowns

How internet shutdowns harm human rights?

Quiz - The basics of internet shutdowns

History of internet shutdowns - From Egypt to Myanmar

Defining internet shutdowns (#KeepItOn definition)

Technical means to shutdown the internet

Quiz - Am I experiencing an internet shutdown

What are internet shutdowns?

Why internet shutdowns are a barrier to elections

Civil unrest, protests and shutdowns

What activists need to know

Case study - Susan Mwape, Common Cause Zambia Case study

Quiz - activity

Cuba Case Study - Norges Rodríguez, Yucabyte

Internet shutdowns and democracy

Tips for planning for shutdowns during elections and civil unrest

About the #KeepItOn Coalition

Internet shutdown monitoring tools

Liaising with national and International institutions over shutdowns

Why the private sector matters

Advocacy and internet shutdowns

Wrap up video

Course survey

Conclusion

Access Now

This course provides an overview of how civil society organisations and human rights advocates can engage actors in the Universal Periodic Review. These actors include  in-country and Geneva-based diplomats and other international, regional and local organizations who lobby for recommendations that advance the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, media and other digital rights at the Universal Periodic Review sessions.

Diplomacy and the UPR for Human Rights Advocates

Cathrine Anite

Introduction to course

An Overview of the UPR

Diplomacy and the art of advocacy at the UPR

Understanding how to lobby Recommending States and States under Review

Networking & Alliance Building for effective lobbying

Bi-lateral meetings and diplomatic engagement before, during and after  the UPR

Diplomacy at the UPR

The role of the media in amplifying the UPR

How and when can the media get involved?

UPR Media strategy

Media Access to Geneva

Media and the UPR

SMALL MEDIA’S UPROAR TOOLS

UPROAR Tools

Impact of UPR on states and CSOs

UPR Impact - Case study

Impact of UPR Advocacy

The changing face of UPR advocacy and diplomatic engagement

UPR Covid-19 measures for meetings at the Palais des Nations

The evolution of UPR engagements

Small Media

This course introduces participants, mainly journalists and civil society advocates, to the
right to information (or right to access information held by public officials), how to use that
right to advance freedom of expression and other human rights, and how to advocate for
strong protection for this right.

The right to information for human rights advocacy

Using Strategic Litigation to Combat Internet Shutdowns

Toby Mendel

Twitter: @tobymendel

Introduction to the right to information

Introduction

Key principles governing the right to information

Key framework of a strong RTI law

International and regional RTI instruments

Assessing RTI through ratings

Legal framework for the right to information

Basic outline for how you make a request for information

Some key tips to improve your request

Issues in law to look out for when making a request

Some likely scenarios and responses when making a request

Quiz

Making requests for information

Overview of international standards regarding exceptions (Pakistan case study)

Case study: Overview of international standards regarding exceptions

Elaboration of the three-part test for exceptions

Key challenges of applying exceptions in practice

Table of common exceptions

Exceptions to the right to information

Key reasons why you may need an appeal

Overview of the key options for appeals

Features of national levels of appeals

What you need to include in an appeal to make it more effective

Options for appeal beyond the national level

Understanding appeals

Advocacy approaches that have proven useful in trying to get a right to information l

Actions to improve RTI implementation

Highlights of some of the work civil society is doing in other countries

An example of successful grassroots use of RTI from India

Advocacy and RTI

Centre for Law and Democracy

Advocates rely on international human rights standards to hold governments to their legal obligations and for developing effective advocacy strategies. For example, activists using commitments their state has made to demand legislative change in their country, so that the country implements at home what it commits to at the UN. In order to understand the substance of international human rights law, advocates and researchers need to identify what the treaty texts and human rights bodies say about particular human rights or legal concepts. Unfortunately, there is no centralized database of international human rights law (yet).

Researching human rights law for advocacy

Friedhelm Weinberg

@WhyFrycek

@HURIDOCS

What is human rights law?

Why is this information important for human rights law?

Define objective research questions

Identify relevant sources and bodies

Identify key documents via secondary sources

Identify available databases

Know the databases' limitations

A framework to support your human rights law research

When to use the UPR-Info database

The UPR database: How to use it

Tutorial: Using the the UPR-Info database of State recommendations

When to use the RightDocs database

RightsDocs database: How to use it

Tutorial: Using RightDocs to find resolutions from the UN Human Rights Council

When to use the SUMMA database

Summa database: How to use it

Tutorial: Using SUMMA to find Inter American human rights case law

HURIDOCS

This course will give you an overview of how the Universal Periodic Review works, and serves as a guide for civil society organisations to advance human rights.

Introduction to the Universal Periodic Review

Making an impact with the Universal Periodic Review

Gayatri Khandhadai

The role of CSOs in the UPR process

Advice for CSOs new to the process

Strengths and weaknesses of the UPR

Making an impact as a CSO

Preparing your summary report

Writing style and language

Presenting information at one to one advocacy meetings

CSO coalitions and your summary report

Case study: CIVICUS in Ethiopia

Case study: Progressive Voice in Myanmar

How to submit information & make an impact

UPR advocacy: In Geneva vs in-country

How to tailor advocacy at recommending states

How to choose what issues to focus on

Ethics for advocates when influencing governments

Case study: SRI in Senegal

Advocacy for change

When states accept recommendations

Framing your CSO’s strategy for the UPR working group

Aligning CSO goals with UPR process

Internet rights and the UPR

UPR outcomes

Having your recommendations taken up

Following up on recommendations & linking to broader advocacy strategies

Making a statement & recommendations

Security concerns for participating in UPR

This course will give you an overview of how the Universal Periodic Review works and serves as a guide for CSOs to advance human rights and digital rights.

The basics: What is UPR?

The history of the UPR and UN Human Rights Council

UPR and Universal Human Rights

Why does the UPR matter?

Impact of the UPR on digital rights

Stage 1 of the UPR: Prepare

Stage 2 of the UPR: Review

Stage 3 of the UPR: Monitoring Implementation

Different roles for states during the UPR

The documents that frame the basis for the review

Quiz: UPR basics

How does the UPR process work?

Timeline of notable changes made with the UPR

Case study: APC on internet freedom in Bangladesh

Rotating states for the UPR: past, current, future states

How do CSOs fit into the UPR?

Practical considerations for participating in the review

Navigating the relationships: How to engage with governments

Relationships between CSOs and countries: Do you approach them?

Derechos Digitales and coalition case study: Internet freedom in Chile

CSOs and the UPR

India: Before, during and after submitting a UPR coalition stakeholders’ report

Cameroon Coalition submissions on freedom of expression, digital rights and internet

Case study: Human Rights Watch Submission to the UPR of Eritrea

Timeline of notable changes made with UPR

Strengths and weaknesses of the UPR process

How the UPR can be used to complement other advocacy

An introduction to the principles that underpin the right to privacy, how important it is in our daily lives and the work that is being done internationally to protect the right by civil society organisations.

Courses

Diplomacy and the UPR for Human Rights Advocates

Diplomacy and the UPR for Human Rights Advocates

The right to information for human rights advocacy

The right to information for human rights advocacy

Researching human rights law for advocacy

Researching human rights law for advocacy

Making an impact with the Universal Periodic Review

Making an impact with the Universal Periodic Review

Introduction to the Universal Periodic Review

Introduction to the Universal Periodic Review

Right to Privacy: Introduction and Principles

Right to Privacy: Introduction and Principles

Right to Privacy: Data and Surveillance

Right to Privacy: Data and Surveillance

Developing SMART Goals for Successful Strategies

Developing SMART Goals for Successful Strategies