Today's world implies daily activities, private as well as public, requiring growing processing and flow of personal data which, while offering a wealth of opportunities in all activities of the society, poses risks to fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, such as their rights to private life, and therefore needs to be addressed with solid protection frameworks.
Conscious that providing protection to individuals in the digital age, while ensuring an uninterrupted flow of data across borders, is a crucial factor for an inclusive growth, a steadily growing number of African countries are wishing to develop legal and institutional framework to ensure that their populations benefit of an appropriate protection of their personal data.
In the framework of its close relationship with the African Network of Data Protection Authorities since its inception, the Council of Europe co-organises with the Network (for its members and observers and a number of guest countries) a series of monthly on line workshops on a selection of themes of particular relevance to the African region, on the basis of the principles set forth by Convention 108+. With the contribution of recognised data protection experts, the seminars will be a useful source of information and literacy for the data protection authorities of countries in Africa. It will support the African Network in the affirmation and strengthening of its important role for its members and observers, demonstrating its active engagement and concrete contribution to the discussions currently underway in the African countries.