Uproar

About Us

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Uproar is a programme championing digital rights in over 30 countries across Africa, MENA region and Central Asia through the Universal Periodic Review, a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council. This initiative is coordinated by Small Media, a UK-based organisation, to support and strengthen freedom of expression online.

  • Strategy

    The Uproar project works to advance the cause of digital rights globally by supporting our network of partners to engage in international advocacy at the Universal Periodic Review. We do this by supporting digital rights organisations to advocate effectively for human rights online through the UPR and national and regional-level decision-makers. We support capacity building, advocacy, design and research.

  • History

    Small Media is a London-based organisation that works to support freedom of expression and access to information globally. We work with our global partners to develop strategies and tools that can support human rights defenders, activists and journalists to work. In line with Small Media’s goals we realised an opportunity to engage in the UPR, and in 2018, we decided to set up the Uproar programme to amplify digital rights.

  • Impact

    By working together to get internet freedom on the agenda at the UPR, we put pressure on governments to roll back harmful internet controls and implement rigorous protections for freedom of expression online. As a result, we have recorded enormous success in sustained advocacy - including recommendations on digital rights by 22 countries in Tajikistan and over 15 in Tanzania.

Team

Uproar is composed of a dynamic and multi-disciplinary team of human rights experts, researchers, designers and developers based in the UK and across Africa.

  • Catherine Anite

    Director of UPROAR, Uganda

  • Hannah Machlin

    Advocacy Manager, UK

  • Joanna Poplawska

    Finance Officer, Poland

  • Dodo Wang

    Social Media Consultant, UK

  • Riccardo Erra

    Developer, UK

Coordinating Partners

  • CIPESA

    The Collaboration on International Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) is a NGO based in Kampala, Uganda. CIPESA facilitates the use of ICT in support of development and poverty reduction. As part of the Uproar network, CIPESA works with digital rights organisations across our target countries to document human rights violations and identify areas where support is needed.

  • Data4Change

    Data4Change is a UK-based non-profit organisation working at the intersection of data, design, journalism and technology, collaborating with organisations on social and policy change interventions to forge real change and lasting impact. D4C designed and developed Uproar Tools, a powerful platform that allows users to explore and interrogate all recommendations put forward at the Universal Periodic Review.

  • African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG)

    The African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG) advocates for parliamentarians and policy makers participation in the internet governance ecosystem as key stakeholders, in an equal setting with a goal of a more competence driven digital policy framework for digital development in Africa. As a network, they are a foreground for equipping our members with the literacy, resources networks and dialogue spaces in areas of technology through internet governance. The initiative is focused on facilitating dialogue and exchanges on key digital policy issues among parliamentarians and between parliamentarians (MPs) and other stakeholders from within and beyond the African continent. The Networks is dedicated to members of national parliaments from African countries, including members of the Pan-African Parliament. The Parliamentarians will focus on the information and communication technology (ICT) related committees at the national or regional parliaments.

Partner Organisations

We support a network of partner organisations across target countries to advocate for internet freedom through capacity building in advocacy, research and awareness building.

Contact us

Do you want to engage in the UPR as a local partner? Want to receive or access training on UPR advocacy? Or pitch an idea for an article? Contact us now!

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