CSOs trained on cyber security
A two-day workshop aimed at equipping Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country on cyber security was held in Accra last Thursday.
The training was on the theme: “Empowering Civil Society to Engage in the Unfolding National Cyber Security Landscape.”
Mr Kenneth Adu Amanfoh, Executive Director of Africa Cybersecurity Digital Rights Organisation (ACDRO), said it was relevant to build the capacity of CSOs in order to sensitise them on key issues in cyber security and how they could be engaged in the unfolding institutional framework.
He said business should focus on protecting its information on investments, finances and technology systems as the economic impact of cyber crime could be damaging, stressing that failure to protect intellectual property has serious economic impact.
On the economic cost of the act, Mr Amanfoh noted that, it cost $600 billion to the global economy, saying businesses needed to take the economic impact of cyber security seriously.
Touching on the social effect of cyber security, he said social media had become an endless data channel that cyber criminals often exploited.
Mr Amanfoh said political effects of the act could be damaging when systems break down as it could breed malpractices in the process.
He indicated that CSOs were uniquely positioned to advocate cyber security policies based on human right approach to promote an inclusive and value-based approach to the implementation of Ghana’s National Cyber Security Policy.
Lena Kaspar, Executive Director of Global Partners Digital (GPD), said there was interplay between cyber security and human rights as its decisions were often informed human rights considerations.
She said cyber security policies and laws were developed in an inclusive way which was informed by the views of relevant stakeholders, adding that GPD’s approach was to strategically advocate, make issues accessible, forge collaboration and build the capacity of stake holders.
Some participants at the event included educationist, advocacy groups on cyber security amongst others.
BY ALLIA NOSHIE
