Collective Position on Data

The International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net), made up of 230 organisations across 75 countries, issued a Collective Position on Data, and in particular on what they described as a “human rights data gap”. They said,

states are failing to produce and use the right kinds of data necessary for the advancement of human rights—to the extent that states’ data practices sometimes pose a threat to human rights and reinforce existing inequalities.

They also drew attention to the enormous power held by tech companies given extensive digitalisation, and highlighted its “serious implications on public decision-making processes”.

Broadband in Public Buildings

The government announced that across NI 240 GP surgeries, 148 community centres, 90 council offices, 79 recycling centres, 69 fire stations and 63 leisure centres are among 900 public buildings have been connected to high-speed ‘gigabit broadband’ due to public investment.