Anriette Esterhuysen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anriette Esterhuysen
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Anriette Esterhuysen in 2014
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Anriette Esterhuysen is a remarkable person from South Africa. She is known for defending human rights and being a pioneer in computer networking. She helped bring the Internet and other communication technologies (ICTs) to many people. Her goal was to use these tools to make the world fairer, especially by making the Internet affordable for everyone.
From 2000 to April 2017, she was the leader of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). After that, she became APC's Director of Policy and Strategy. In November 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, chose her to lead the Internet Governance Forum’s Multistakeholder Advisory Group. This group helps guide how the Internet is managed globally.
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Anriette's Education and Early Work
Anriette Esterhuysen studied at the University of the Witwatersrand. She earned degrees in Social Science, Library and Information Science, and Musicology. During her time at university, she helped coordinate the South African Student Press Union.
Working for Change in South Africa
In 1994, Anriette became the first executive director of SANGONeT. This was a South African organization that helped people communicate. SANGONeT provided Internet access, computer training, and website hosting. They helped groups working for social change, like community organizations and worker unions.
Before that, in 1992-1993, she worked at the Development Resources Centre in South Africa. There, she created a library and an online news service. This helped non-governmental organizations (NGOs) share information. Even earlier, she was the Chief Librarian for the South African Council of Churches (SACC). She taught people how to manage information and documents.
Fighting Apartheid with Technology
From the 1980s, Anriette was active in the fight against Apartheid. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation in South Africa. The Church became an important place for people to gather and resist. Anriette saw how important technology was for sharing information during this time.
She noticed that anti-apartheid groups and other activists started using new communication tools. This helped them work for social justice. This is how the APC was formed in 1990. As South Africa moved towards democracy, Anriette helped local NGOs use these new technologies.
Current Roles and Contributions
Anriette Esterhuysen now leads the Multistakeholder Advisory Group for the Internet Governance Forum. She also helped start Women's Net in South Africa. She has served on important committees and boards, including for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
From 2002 to 2005, she was part of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force. In 2017, Anriette joined the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace. She helped write rules for keeping the Internet safe and peaceful. These rules focused on preventing attacks in cyberspace.
Awards and Recognitions
Anriette Esterhuysen has received several important awards for her work.
- In 2012, she was one of the top five finalists for IT Personality of the Year in South Africa.
- In 2013, she was honored by being added to the Internet Hall of Fame. She was recognized as a "Global Connector" for helping connect people worldwide.
- In 2015, she won the Pioneer Award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. This award celebrates people who have made great contributions to digital rights and technology.
