2024 Moot Overview
The 2024 Unwanted Witness Privacy Moot Court Competition aimed to serve as a platform for aspiring legal minds to delve into the intricate intersection of data protection, privacy rights, and electoral processes. Through rigorous debate and legal analysis, participants contributed to advancing the understanding and significance of safeguarding voter privacy in upholding the fundamental tenets of democracy.
Unlike the previous year's focus on surveillance, the 2024 moot emphasized the critical significance of safeguarding voter personal data to maintain the integrity of elections and fortify democratic principles.
The 2024 edition marked the first cross-border version of the competition, bringing together universities from both Uganda and Kenya. Hosted at Daystar University, Kenya, the event attracted 17 universities, with the host university emerging as the overall champion.
We are deeply grateful to our partners for once again making the Unwanted Witness Privacy Moot Court Competition a reality.
2024 Theme: Safeguarding Electoral Integrity: Upholding Voter Privacy in Democratic Processes
Venue: Daystar University, Kenya - Nairobi Campus
Dates Held: 12th - 20th September, 2024
Resources
Participating universities
The 2024 UW Privacy Moot Competition in numbers
Student Teams
Coaches / Coordinators
Number of Mooters
Number of Universities
Format and Structure
The competition involved simulated legal proceedings in English, open exclusively to law students. Universities registered and submitted written pleadings, which underwent a rigorous evaluation by a committee of senior law experts using a double-blind marking system. Qualified teams progressed to the oral phase, facing challenging queries from judges to determine the most adept litigators. The pinnacle of the event featured teams arguing a hypothetical case centered on the right to privacy and data protection before esteemed judges, mimicking the Constitutional Court.
Dare. Participate. Win.
Meet Your Moot 2024 Winners!
Focus Area and Objective
This year's agenda focused on the intersection of privacy, data protection, and the ethical use of technology in electoral processes. We emphasized the responsible integration of technologies like biometrics for data collection, ensuring they uphold ethical standards and respect voters' privacy and human rights.
We highlighted the importance of fair and lawful practices in data collection by election management bodies, stressing the responsibility of these bodies, political parties, and candidates to safeguard voter privacy. Protecting privacy was presented as key to maintaining the integrity and fairness of democratic elections.
Moot 2024 Bootcamps
The Unwanted Witness Privacy Moot Court Competition Bootcamp serves as a preparatory platform for registered teams participating in the competition. It aims to enhance participants’ understanding of privacy law, moot court advocacy skills, and competition procedures.
The primary aim of the Bootcamp is to equip Mooters with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in the Unwanted Witness Privacy Moot Court Competition. Like previous editions, the 2024 Edition also had two phases of the Bootcamp; The Written Submissions, and Oral Submissions Bootcamp
Written Submissions Bootcamp - 3rd May 2024 Oral Presentations Bootcamp - 10th May 2024
Participants from Uganda Christian University prepare for the 2024 UW Privacy Moot Competition
Prizes and Awards
The 2024 Unwanted Witness Privacy Moot Court Competition recognized exceptional performances with awards such as:
- First place ($1,000, a trophy, medals, certificates and a fully paid trip to attend the 6th Privacy Symposium Africa on 19-21 November, Harare)
- Second Place ($500, a trophy, and certificates)
- Best Overall Oralist (An accolade and a certificate)
- Best written submissions for the Applicant (An accolade and certificates)
- Best written submissions for the Respondent (An accolade and certificates)
- Each participant parted with a certificate of participation.