Hacks/Hackers East Africa: Civic technology, open data and democracy
By Community Coordinators
Hacks/Hackers East Africa November meetup held on 30 November 2023. This event was facilitated by Gbemisola Esho, a Civic Technologist. The session commenced with a definition of the term “Civic Technologist”. Gbemisola described a Civic technologist as an individual who uses technology to solve social problems. They use their skills in technology, data analysis, and digital tools to address civic challenges, such as issues with democratic processes.
Presenting to an audience of 7 Esho discussed how open data can be ‘deployed’ to serve the public by advocating for transparency and accountability. She further highlighted the importance of data in improving service delivery, a few examples included data on transport, the environment and finance. She stated that open data which can often be found in government portals, national bureau of statistics and research is a free resource that is available to the public.
Addressing Misconceptions
Gbemisola discussed the misconception about open data. It is often said that open data is not reliable data as anyone can ‘temper with it’. She dismissed this, stating that open data is not easily corruptible because ‘someone is always watching’. Any activity on the open data is ‘traceable’ she added. An example of Budgit, a Nigerian non-profit promoting transparency and accountability, recently investigated the budget of a particular state that claimed to have spent 150 million naira on exercise books. Only to uncover, after a thorough investigation, that the textbooks ‘never saw the light of day’, and therefore the said government was reporting on a ghost deliverable to hide corrupt practices.
According to Esho the illustration above addresses how open data is a valuable resource for fact-checking. Since the spending information was publicly available (open data), it offered an opportunity for a comprehensive investigation and fact-checking regarding how 150 million naira.
could be allocated solely for school exercise books. Noteworthy advantages of open data also include its capacity to promote engagement and encourage communal efforts.
What then is the connection between civic technology, open data, and democracy? Civic technologists employ open data to address societal issues, fostering accountability, transparency, and amplifying the public voice by scrutinising government actions and systems. Civic technologists play a vital role in safeguarding citizen rights, ensuring that governments genuinely operate ‘by the people, for the people.’ They achieve this through the use of diverse tools to unravel information manipulation, thereby affirming that civic technology plays a pivotal role in establishing a genuine democracy.
The Intersection of journalism and civic technology
An investigation was recently published by Esho titled fishing in the gulf of Guinea , shedding light on the invasion of foreign interference that not only deprives locals of their livelihood but also tarnishes the image of fishing for sustenance. They did this by introducing illegal substance trade and human trafficking into the region. Esho’s article further clarifies the relationship between journalism and civic technology, showcasing her capacity to create an impact by crafting stories that protect citizens’ rights.
She used Grid Arendal and other open data portals such as the Centre for Human Trafficking Research and Outreach as examples of where she found reliable information for her investigation. She uncovered how children were taken from their home under the guise of ‘fishing’ trips and never returned. This investigation generated substantial attention which resulted in the establishment of a ministry for the blue economy
There was an interactive question and answers session. The participants inquired whether Esho was aware of any countries using civic technology as a model to enhance democracy, providing a learning opportunity for others. She cited Nigeria and Kenya as examples, where civic tech is utilised during elections to manage the spread of misinformation. She emphasised that these efforts are a work in progress but significant nonetheless.
In addressing some of the challenges faced by civic technologists, Esho addressed personal security as one major challenge encountered by these professionals as they preferred to be seen not heard.
A key takeaway from this session was, civic technologists exist to hold power to account. However, this is not a task limited to civic tech professionals. Through the existence of open data civilians can act as whistle blowers for corruption and misinformation as well, ensuring that the democratic rights of our society are protected.
Hacks/Hackers West Africa: Data Science and Human Rights in the Digital Age
Senior Manager for Business data insights at Medscheme and Podcaster, Ncumisa Hlapo recently presented at the virtual Hacks/Hackers West Africa November Meetup. Hlapo presented on Data Science and Human Rights in the digital age.
With an active audience of 17 participants from different African countries, Hlapo discussed the role of data analysts in assisting businesses and mankind to uphold human rights in the digital age.
Hlapo commenced her session by describing a data analyst as someone who is responsible for ‘tackling big data’, so that an organisation can make informed decisions. In addition, data analysts assist organisations in ‘predicting’ the future and ultimately play a vital role in strategising the future of an organisation.
According to Hlapo, there has been a significant rise in different data collection methods over the years. This has allowed for interesting approaches in data collection and the protection of human rights. It has also influenced the revolution of the open data environment we see today.
‘Before data science matured we weren’t able to make much changes on climate change. We could only react, not predict. Now we can use satellite devices across the country to predict floods before they happen’, she said. Hlapo then made an illustration citing the floods in KwaZulu-Natal and how meteorologists were able to predict the upcoming floods in time to warn municipalities and residents. This, she proceeded to explain, is one of the opportunities that come with the evolution of data science, and ultimately assists data analysts in upholding human rights. These opportunities improve and protect the human experience.
However, Hlapo explained that with opportunities came counter-opportunities such as how data is being used, processed, transported and shaped. Touching on the rise of AI, she emphasised that companies needed to consider how AI was being programmed, making an example that programming AI to fit the current societal ideals can promote stereotypes. ‘Companies need to consider this and drive the education of how AI is tailored to the human being. She mentioned that controls and regulations need to be placed on how the models are trained. Data scientists need to ensure that they do not ‘infringe on human rights but promote and protect human rights’.
At the conclusion of her session talk it was obvious what has been achieved through the revolution of data science. As a result of data analytics societies now predict instead of react. Humanity can profile certain elements of life better than before.
Furthermore, in this era, data science enables governments and organisations to enhance planning through evidenced data. Ultimately, the influence of data science extends to personalising the human experience. An additional aspect of this impact is its role in monitoring and evaluating government service delivery, as highlighted in key points from Hlapo’s presentation
The worlds of hackers and journalists are coming together, as reporting goes digital and Internet companies become media empires.Journalists call themselves “hacks,” someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code.
Hacker-journalists try to bridge the two worlds. Hacks/Hackers Africa aims to bring all these people together — those who are working to help people make sense of our world. It’s for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualise information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. In the age of information overload and collapse of traditional business models for legacy media, their work has become even more crucial.
Code for Africa, the continent’s largest #OpenData and civic technology initiative, recognises this and is spearheading the establishment of a network of HacksHackers chapters across Africa to help bring together pioneers for collaborative projects and new ventures.
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