PALU participated in a continental convening of experienced litigators that brought female lawyers across Africa who are passionate and have extensive knowledge in litigating freedom of expression and related issues to free speech and digital rights at national and regional levels. The convening, organized by Media Defence on 22-24 August 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa, aimed at identifying existing challenges and reflecting on best practices towards enhancing freedom of expression as a pivotal element for a democratic state.
In enhancing a well-active discussion, the convening involved a roundtable aimed at creating an interactive dialogue amongst the participants to agree on strategies towards promoting freedom of expression in the region.
In this convening, PALU’s representative facilitated a roundtable discussion around Trends in Freedom of Expression and Digital Rights: The Role of Regional Courts. Given its expertise in strategic litigation before regional courts, PALU was asked to provide perspectives on the role of regional courts in the protection of freedom of expression, the jurisprudence they developed over the years, and discuss best practices and normative developments espoused by practitioners across the continent.
This convening was an opportunity for PALU to expand its network and provided not only a step toward building the capacity of the team but also an opening to engaging different media lawyers in the region to foster a network of lawyers who are passionate about issues of freedom of expression.