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Collaborative Copyright Civic Advocacy: The ReCreate ZA Model

Ceslause Ogbonnaya

Igbo Wikimedians User Group

Sandra Aceng

Women of Uganda Network

Kyla Mc Nulty

ReCreate ZA

Bobby Shabangu

Wikimedia ZA

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Umbrella Copyright Advocacy Movement

Co-Founded in 2018 by Wikimedia South Africa

ReCreate ZA

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Members Include

ht Advocacy Movement
Wikimedia South Africa
South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU)
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
Blind South Africa
South African Guild of Actors (SAGA)
South African Freelancers Association (SAFREA)
Experts, Musicians, Filmmakers, Librarians, Academics and more
Blind SA, SAGA, Musicians, Filmmakers, Librarians, Academics and more

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The Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB)

Includes Fair Use, Freedom of Panorama, improved access to education, improved rights to royalties and remuneration for creatives and more
The Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament and sent to the President for assent in 2019 a
Following industry lobbying and intimidation, the Bill was re-tagged and sent back to Parliament
The Bill made it to the President’s desk for a second time, and has been sent to the Constitutional Court of South Africa
ReCreate represented 20 civil society organisation in defence of the Bills at the Con-Court

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A Human-Rights and Access to Knowledge Approach
Key Stakeholders and a Cross-Sectional Civil Society Participation (Users & Creatives)
Education and Feedback
Participation in the Legislative Process
Be aware of intermediaries, dialogue if possible
A Targeted Media and Social Media Campaign

Best Practice Guide On Copyright Reform

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Best_Practice_Guide_for_Copyright_Reform

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International Conferences

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Workshops, Webinars and Consultations

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Demonstrations and Protests

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Concerts and Performances

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Why Wikimedia ZA Co-Founded ReCreate

🚫 No Freedom of Panorama in South Africa

In South Africa, taking and sharing photos of public buildings, monuments, and artworks without permission from the copyright holder is not legally protected.�
This limits contributions to Wikimedia Commons and stifles digital creativity, education, and cultural documentation.

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CC by SA 3.0, Jens Mohr

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Wikimedia ZA’s Legislative Involvement

Direct Participation in Policy-Making� Wikimedia ZA has played a proactive role in the national conversation on copyright reform by:

Submitting formal recommendations on draft copyright legislation�
Participating in public hearings to represent the voice of digital knowledge communities�
Hosting workshops to inform and mobilize the public, legal experts, and creatives�
Joining protests and awareness campaigns to push for a more inclusive, user-rights-friendly copyright law�

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This is space for a presentation title

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Our Goal:�To ensure South African copyright law supports access to knowledge, digital freedom, and local content creation—including protecting everyday contributors who enrich platforms like Wikipedia.

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Copyright Advocacy effort in Nigeria

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2023 Copyright Act and FoP
Advocacy approach of the Wikimedia community in Nigeria
Collaborative advocacy approach

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A feminist & human rights centered approach to copyright and why is this important to the Wikimedia movement

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WOUGNET

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Feminist and Human Rights Centred approach to Copyright Advocacy & Open Knowledge

WOUGNET’s Role in Shaping Inclusive Digital Spaces
Exploring the intersection of gender justice, copyright, and Wikimedia. Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2006 reforms aim to incorporate provisions for digital rights

Blind SA, SAGA, Musicians, Filmmakers, Librarians, Academics and more

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WOUGNET’s Vision

Embedding Gender justice, digital rights, and civic participation into our advocacy and programming.
Guided by Feminist Principles of the Internet: Access, Agency, Equity for women and marginalized communities in digital spaces.
WOUGNET continues to champion copyright as a social justice issue—not only protecting creators’ rights but also ensuring that feminist voices are visible, valued, and preserved in digital commons.

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Centering Women’s Agency in Digital Spaces

Not only access digital content. Women as creators, sharers, and protectors of knowledge
Advocating for inclusive copyright frameworks that do not restrict women’s participation in knowledge production.
Recognizing community authorship and cultural heritage

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Collaboration with Wikimedia

Partnership began in 2018 via Wiki Loves Women
Participation in Wikimania and regional events
DRIF25 sessions on gender gaps in digital content and AI

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Digital Rights as Human Rights

Access to information, freedom of expression, and privacy as fundamental rights, and it pushes for copyright laws that do not infringe on these rights—especially for women and marginalised communities.
Advocacy around Computer Misuse Act and Access to Information Act
Campaigns against internet shutdowns-silenced women’s voices online and disrupted civic engagement.

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Centering Structurally Silenced Women

Our Voices, Our Futures (OVOF) project, focuses on amplifying the voices of structurally silenced women—such as LBT individuals, sex workers, and women human rights defenders (WHRDs)—in digital spaces. These groups often face exclusion from online platforms, including those that host and share copyrighted content. For example, WOUGNET has supported WHRDs in documenting their work and protecting their digital content from misuse, ensuring their stories are preserved and shared ethically.

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Building Capacity for Open Knowledge

WOUGNET runs digital literacy workshops that equip women with skills to navigate copyright, protect their content, and contribute to platforms like Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia. These trainings have empowered women to document their activism, art, and leadership online.

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Why This Matters to Wikimedia

Ethical Copyright Practices

WOUGNET promotes inclusive copyright policies that respect creators’ rights while enabling open sharing. This supports Wikimedia’s mission to provide freely accessible knowledge without compromising ethical standards.

Shaping Inclusive Policy

WOUGNET’s policy advocacy contributes to shaping copyright and digital rights frameworks that align with Wikimedia’s values of openness, equity, and ethical AI development

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Wikimedia Uganda’s Policy Engagement

Organising Public Forums and Strategy Salons

Wikimedia Uganda has hosted events like the Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy Salon, which brought together stakeholders—including policymakers, educators, and civil society actors—to discuss the future of free knowledge in Uganda. These forums help raise awareness about the importance of open access and inclusive copyright laws.

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Wikimedia Uganda’s Policy Engagement

Training and Sensitization Campaigns

Wikimedia Uganda conducts training sessions for educators, librarians, and government officials on how Wikimedia projects work and why open licensing matters. These sessions demystify copyright and promote the use of Creative Commons licenses in public institutions

Participation in Regional and Global Advocacy Platforms

Through support from the Wikimedia Foundation’s Global Advocacy Team, Ugandan Wikimedians participate in regional digital rights forums and policy consultations. This includes contributing to discussions on modern copyright laws, intermediary protections, and freedom of expression

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Final Message & Call to Action

Building a rights-respecting internet
Ensuring feminist voices are visible and protected
Support inclusive copyright reforms
Contribute feminist content to Wikimedia
Advocate for open, equitable digital spaces

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The Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT), Strathmore University, Kenya

Cynthia Nzuki

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Q&A