Researchers call on ministry to protect digital rights

Technology policy researcher Nashilongo Gervasius says it is important to create regulatory frameworks that guide the protection of rights in the digital space.

“It is fundamental to reassess and adopt conceptual and regulatory frameworks in order to maintain rights in the digital world,” she says.

Gervasius was speaking at the data protection bill stakeholders’ validation workshop at the Nampower Convention Centre on Tuesday.

She said this will help to readdress mechanisms already put in place for the protection of rights in the digital space.

Gervasius said countries around the world have opted to protect digital rights the same way they protect other rights.

She pointed to considerations to be taken into account when finalising the data protection bill, namely the rights of individual users.

Speaking at the same event, the chairperson of the board of Africa Rise and data expert, Samson Muhapi, said the bill will consist of eight parts of which the codes of conduct will be drafted with the assistance of various stakeholders.

He said after the codes of conduct have been approved by the supervisory authority, stakeholders are expected to act within this framework.

If stakeholders do not comply, sanctions will be put in place, he said.

Muhapi said the bill will call for data controllers to be certified to process data.

“As a data controller you’ll need to be certified in order to process personal data,” Muhapi said.

Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) executive director of branding and strategy Margareth Gustavo said when partnering with the ministry, the NIPDB highlighted that it was important to develop a data protection bill to allow for more foreign investment in the country.

“The first thing they (foreign investors) asked us is whether Namibia has a data protection act. I think the ministry was already working on it . . . We then partnered with the ministry and said it’s very important,” she said.

Gustavo said the longer the government waits to finalise this bill, the bigger the risk of losing investors.

She said the bill is important because people want to know whether their data is protected or not. This would allow stakeholders to provide clients with better services.

The purpose of the workshop was to establish a data protection supervisory authority and to provide for its powers, duties and functions.

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