Dear Forus members and partners,  

This edition is full with updates from Forus and the Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE) project! Explore new capacity development opportunities in internet governance for civil society organisations, youth stories at the intersection of technology and rights, and multimedia projects on today’s top digital rights issues and opportunities. Do you have an initiative you would like to share for our next edition or areas of collaboration? Contact Ángela Alarcón [email protected] who has recently joined Forus as new Digital Governance Coordinator!  

💻CADE Capacity Development Programme for CSOs 2025–2026  

CADE is strengthening the ability of civil society organisations  – especially those from the Global Majority – to play a stronger role in shaping digital policy. Join the Capacity Development Programme for CSOs 2025–2026! 

Developed and delivered by DiploFoundation (project partner), it guides participants through a practical, step-by-step learning journey that builds both technical knowledge and diplomatic skills in internet governance, supported throughout by a flexible Helpdesk service offering tailored expert advice. 

Over the course of the programme, selected CSOs will: 

• Gain a stronger understanding of internet governance, infrastructure and standards, cybersecurity, AI policy, and digital policy processes. 

• Develop hands-on skills in negotiation, diplomacy, and cross-sector collaboration. 

• Have the opportunity to join a study visit to Geneva, Switzerland, the global hub of multilateral diplomacy. 

 
How to apply 

To apply, complete the application form by 30 November 2025. The programme is fully funded by the European Union. Full scholarships will be awarded to the selected participants. 

Youth Voices for Digital Rights  

📖Real life stories: Protecting Mannar’s Voices and Data 

On Mannar Island, in Sri Lanka, youth are fighting back against “data colonialism”—outsiders collecting sensitive personal and environmental information without consent, often harming communities and erasing generations of local knowledge. From fragile ecosystems to fishing livelihoods, the people of Mannar face decisions about their future made without them. 

Youth activists are calling for Community Data Sovereignty: consent, transparency, and benefits for the local community. 

Read the full story by Kasumi Ranasinghe Arachchige, a participant in the Forus-led programme Youth Voices for Digital Rights. Discover more about the digital rights issues the programme participants are exploring with their multimedia projects: from children’s rights online to internet shutdowns during elections. 

📅Save the date! Virtual Open House 

Younger generations live in a world where most aspects of their lives are recorded as data. They use digital platforms more than any other age group and feel the impact of emerging technologies most directly. Yet, their perspectives are often overlooked in internet governance debates, and their rights are not always considered. This is what we want to change.  

Join us for a virtual open house to conclude the CADE Youth Voices for Digital Rights project led by Forus in partnership with Karisma. Over the last four months, fifteen young advocates have gathered from across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe to learn, collaborate, and take action on digital rights. The virtual open house will launch the Youth Manifesto on Digital Rights, accompanied by participants’ creative multimedia projects which tell their unique stories about digital rights from around the world.  

• Date: Monday, January 12, 2025  

• Time: 13:00 – 14:30 UTC (Check your local time here) 

• The event will be simultaneously interpreted in English, French and Spanish. 

• You can register for the event here. Stay tuned for more details! 

New Video Series: Your Clicks, Your Rights 

Forus has launched a new video series exploring some of the most urgent in terms of digital rights and internet governance for civil society organisations. Across ten episodes, developed with Forus members, activists and partners, the series unpacks how access, rights, technologies, and inequalities intersect. It looks at practical ways in which civil society can shape more just and inclusive digital ecosystems. 

From deepening digital divides in Latin America and the Caribbean, to the growing tension between cybersecurity and civil liberties, to the global need for ethical and inclusive AI governance, each video examines real stories from communities and civil society organisations at the frontline of advocacy efforts. The series also highlights how technology is reshaping gender-based violence, and how activists and organisations are responding with innovation, advocacy, and community-led solutions. 

Explore the full multilingual video series through the Let’s Talk Digital campaign and join the conversation! Tell us how you are planning on using the videos in your networks and do not hesitate to reach out to us with ideas! 

News from Forus members - FIFAfrica25: The Nigeria Network of NGOs on open and inclusive Internet at the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa

Read insights from the Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGO) as they participated in the 12th edition of the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25).

Oyebisi Oluseyi, Executive Director of NNNGO, highlighted the transformative potential of the internet while stressing the need for protective measures.

“The opportunities the internet have brought to our world remain enormous. It is the reason we must at all times champion affordability and accessibility of the internet but, more importantly, also discuss the need to protect and promote rights associated with its usage,” he said.