AI Research Fellow
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Jackie Akello is a lawyer specialising in ICT law and global tech policy. Her interest lies at the intersection between technology, law, and human rights. Her specialty involves conducting multi-disciplinary research on digital governance, policy, and regulation that facilitates evidence-based and informed policymaking on digital technologies. Her work at Research ICT Africa majorly centers on AI and data governance where she is involved in various projects including the Global Index on Artificial Intelligence (GIRAI) and the African Union Data Policy Framework.
Jackie currently holds an Internet of Rights Fellowship at Article 19 where she is examining cybersecurity threats in community networks and their advancement of human rights. She was recently engaged as a Researcher at the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP) where she contributed through country policy analysis and research, in the Global Index on Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values (GAIDV). Prior to that, she was engaged as a Researcher at Paradigm Initiative where she was involved in research, policy and analysis, and capacity building in key projects in the areas of AI, privacy and data protection, and data governance.
She was a Fellow at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) under the ICANN 73 fellowship program where she was engaged in the various aspects of ICANN’s work such as policymaking, the operation of the Domain Name System (DNS), and the security and stability of the global Internet. She was also a fellow with the Internet Society where she gained collaborative skills and knowledge of internet governance issues, including an understanding of the global policymaking process.
Prior to that, she worked at the Center for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) at Strathmore Law School where she developed findings for needs assessment research to produce the Africa ICT Policy Manual resource providing an open format for publishing ICT legal data in Africa.
She is passionate about developing policy frameworks that contribute to the inclusive and sustainable growth of communities.