ABOUT US
The African Alliance for Access to Data (AAAD) is a diverse coalition of groups and individuals working to unlock data as a core resource for advancing human rights, sustainable growth and innovation in Africa. We advocate for access to data, with full protection for personally-identifying information, from both public and private sectors. We co-operate with many stakeholders, including organs of the African Union, to advance the cause of data access on the continent.
What we do
The Alliance seeks to work with a broad range of actors in civil society, academia, policy-making, and other sectors, to advocate for proactive access to data in public and private spheres, as an essential element of the right to information.
Our work is focused on the following thematic areas:
- Data access and elections: Recognising the increasing importance of data (both public and private) in electoral processes, this work stream seeks to develop guidance and mechanisms to inform and support the work of electoral management bodies (EMBs) and other stakeholders, through policies and practices that promote transparency and ensure electoral integrity.
- Data and access to information: Recognising the profound importance of data access to longstanding principles of access to information (ATI), this workstream seeks to champion policies and mechanisms to embed access to data in traditional ATI mechanisms and promote access to data as a public good.
- Data access and media: Recognising the importance of data access both to the practice of journalism and the sustainability of public-interest news institutions, this workstream seeks to develop policies, practices, and regional mechanisms that strengthen access to data in the context of the media.
Harnessing the power of access to data for all.
Who we are
The African Alliance for Access to Data includes a broad spectrum of stakeholders from a range of sectors and traditions. The current participants of the Alliance Steering Committee include:
- Pan-African formations: APAI, AFIC, AFEX, African Network of Information Commissioners, the African Editors Forum, Africa Open Science Platform, Africa Digital Rights Network, Africa Internet Rights Alliance
- National/regional entities: Research ICT Africa (RIA), University of Pretoria, Centre for Human Rights, Namibia Media Trust, Media Rights Agenda, Pollicy, Data Science for Social Impact Research Group (University of Pretoria), Africa Media Hub (Strathmore University), BarazaLab, OpenUp, TechSocietal
-
Individual practitioners Maxwell Kadiri, Izak Minnaar, Henry Maina, Guy Berger, Anriette Oosthuizen, Stephen Moore, Taryn Isaacs de Vega, Alette Schoon, Patrick Cole
How we are structured
The network is a non-binding informal movement with the following characteristics:
- Alliance steering committee: Responsible for overall strategy, governance, and operational output, meeting once a month.
- Alliance associate members: Can participate in the work of subcommittees and inform the work of the steering committee, meeting once every two months.
- Sub committees: Can design, supervise, and participate in specific research, outputs, or other initiatives of the Alliance, meeting as needed.
- Host institution/s: Provide institutional and administrative support to the Alliance, and undertake fundraising as mandated.
- External partners, stakeholders and constituencies: These include national or regional institutions, NGOs, policy and regulatory stakeholders, or any other actors who are positioned to collaborate with, or be consulted by, the Alliance and its members.
Funding
The African Alliance for Access to Data was conceived at a stakeholder meeting funded by Team Democracy, a regional team working on an assignment from Sidaʼs Africa Department, and the Swedish Embassy in South Africa.
The Alliance has also received a grant from the Africa Digital Rights Fund administered by CIPESA.
Resources are sought to provide a version of this website in French, and to roll out a heightened programme of activities for the Alliance to achieve its objectives.
To fund our work further, contact [email protected].