Registration for the 12th edition of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF25) is now open.
Hundreds of delegates will convene in Lusaka, Zambia, from April 29th to May 1st, 2025.
Hosted by Paradigm Initiative (PIN) in partnership with 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, DRIF25 will be a bilingual (English and French) global gathering.
For the first time, PIN is offering delegates the opportunity to support digital rights and inclusion efforts by purchasing tickets.
However, free registration is also available and open until March 20th, 2025.
Held under the theme “Promoting Digital Ubuntu in Approaches to Technology,” the event will take place at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC).
Participants will include representatives from government, NGOs, academia, media, funding partners, the United Nations, the technical community, and the private sector, all focused on sharing experiences and developing cross-border strategies.
DRIF25’s thematic areas include: Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Trust and Accountability, Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Digital Inclusion and Marginalised Groups, Digital Security, Human Rights and Freedoms.
Sponsors for DRIF2025 are Ford Foundation, Luminate, Mott Foundation, Google, Meta, Wellsprings, Kingdom of the Netherlands, MacArthur Foundation, and Wikimedia Foundation.
DRIF24, held in Accra, Ghana, in 2024, attracted 1,044 registered attendees and delegates from 61 countries.
DRIF23, held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2023, saw 601 participants from 54 countries.
In 2024, DRIF hosted over 80 sessions, up from 70 in 2023.
DRIF24 featured panel sessions, launches, tech demos, pre-event workshops, lightning talks, and exhibitions, covering digital rights, digital inclusion, and digital security.
Highlights included the premiere of PIN’s fourth short film, Undersight, the launch of the Londa report (covering 26 African countries), and the release of digital toolkits Ayeta and Ripoti.
PIN received 346 session proposals for DRIF2025, encompassing world cafes, workshops, day zero events, exhibitions, tech demos, lightning talks, and panel sessions.
PIN’s Senior Manager, Partnerships and Engagements, Thobekile Matimbe, stated, “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.”
She added, “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.”
The Forum serves as a platform for discussing global digital rights and inclusion issues, incorporating perspectives from civil society, technology companies, government, academia, and other stakeholders.
DRIF25 will build upon the discussions from the 11th edition, which focused on “Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age.”
