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14-08-2024
The CPLP Charter of Rights and Principles in Digital Environments
On July 19, 2024, the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) Charter of Rights and Principles in Digital Environments was signed in São Tomé. This document, which is declaratory and non-binding, is a necessity. On the one hand, it reaffirms Member States' commitment to implement declarations made in the past and, on the other hand, it validates their commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Digital environments are becoming more and more a part of people's daily lives, so making access to digital services easier and guaranteeing protection allows CPLP Member States to increase their effectiveness, speeding up their development and combating digital inequalities that may arise, thus fulfilling the CPLP's Digital Agenda. It was on this basis that the member states came together and drafted this letter.
The diploma isn't long, but it is worth giving a summary of the most important points:
- Citizens' rights and freedoms: the safeguarding, respect, promotion and protection of human rights will be guaranteed in digital environments, through recourse to the competent jurisdictions when acts are committed that jeopardize citizens' rights and freedoms. The malicious use of these technologies is condemned, namely through "cybersecurity attacks, dissemination of illegal content and disinformation, unjustified interruption of internet services, as well as discrimination between groups and individuals and other human rights violations".
- Connectivity and digital inclusion: the aim is to promote connectivity through general and equal access to the Internet for all, creating inclusive digital environments and information society. Policies and strategies should be developed to empower citizens in this area.
- Privacy and cybersecurity: the right to privacy and the protection of personal data, as well as access to a secure, accessible and peaceful digital environment is underlined.
- Freedoms of expression, information, participation and association: these values, already widely known, are in line with those defended in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and their defense and promotion must be a concern for the CPLP community.
- Protecting children and teenagers: with the increasingly early use of the Internet by young people, it is essential that they are safeguarded from content made available online and that violence against children and teenagers in the digital environment is combated. It must be ensured that their integrity, intimacy and privacy are respected.
- Digital and media education: all citizens must be guaranteed the right to education in the use of digital technologies, as well as access to professional training courses in this area. Digital skills must be developed, as well as the ability to interact competently and safely in these environments. It is recognized that digital citizenship is important for active participation in society and media education is considered fundamental for promoting democracy, peace and human rights.
- Digital public services: it is recognized that the transition from face-to-face to digital public services is inevitable. However, this change must not lead to restrictions on access to these services.
- Fair, inclusive and secure digital economy: one of the primary objectives of any country should be full and equal access to employment, equal opportunities, capacity building for inclusive economic and social development without discrimination. Faced with new forms of employment and remote working, CPLP Member States intend to promote the update of labor policies and legislation to ensure adequate social protection, decent work, health, social dialogue and worker participation in the digital economy.
- Sustainability and the ethical and responsible use of technologies: in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, CPLP Member States should promote, in accordance with their capacities, the development of laws and policies that encourage the secure, ethical and responsible use of new technologies, through respect for the objectives and principles of the United Nations in this area and other relevant international standards.
- Assistance and cooperation for digital transformation: CPLP Member States consider necessary to make efforts to promote, within the CPLP, cooperation mechanisms for the development of programs and projects to reduce digital gaps through capacity building, technical cooperation, technology transfer and investments aimed at an inclusive, fair, secure and sustainable digital transformation of countries, on a voluntary basis and under mutually agreed terms.
We can already draw a key idea from these values and principles now signed by the 9 countries that make up the CPLP - Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor - this community believes that, by collaborating with each other, they can develop initiatives that promote the digitization of their countries, reduce the digital inequalities that currently exist and facilitate compliance with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
For our part, and particularly as a founding member of LusNIC - Association of Portuguese Language Registries, which brings together the entities responsible for managing, registering and maintaining top-level domains in Portuguese-speaking countries: .pt, from Portugal, .br, from Brazil, . cv from Cape Verde, .gw from Guinea-Bissau, .st. from São Tomé and Príncipe, .ao from Angola and .mz from Mozambique, we could only welcome the approval of the CPLP Charter of Rights and Principles in Digital Environments and support its implementation within the field of activity of LusNIC and .PT.
Please note: the articles on this blog may not convey the opinion of .PT, but of its author.
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