International Data Protection Day was launched 15 years ago by the Council of Europe to remember the signature of the first legally binding international instrument in the data protection field known as “Convention 108”.

Opened for signature in 1981, Convention 108 laid out essential principles of data processing and in particular the individual right to privacy, and has now been signed and ratified by 55 countries in and outside of Europe, with another number of countries holding observer status.

To commemorate Convention 108 and its influence on global data protection standards, on this date, governments, parliaments, national data protection bodies and other actors carry out activities to raise awareness about the rights to personal data protection and privacy.

In Rwanda, a growing number of transactions are taking place online and a huge amount of information is being exchanged digitally, making the topic of personal data protection and privacy relevant and of critical importance.

Rwanda has taken steps to protect personal data and privacy of users by enacting its law relating to the protection of personal data and privacy (Law No 058/2021 of 13/10/2021, officially gazetted on October 15 2021).

The law relating to personal data protection and privacy sets out to not only protect personal data and ensure privacy of users, but also enable local and international firms to securely use personal data – a critical element of modern services and necessary requirement for cooperation with large-scale data-driven tech companies.

Rwanda enacted its law on personal data protection and privacy because there was a clear understanding that data protection and privacy matters, and now that this legal framework exists, International Data Protection Day serves as a reminder to the importance of data protection and privacy, the need to synergize awareness raising efforts and the necessity of compliance to ensure data protection and the privacy of users.