Festival Code of Conduct

The Afrotech Fest Code of Conduct outlines what behaviour is unacceptable at the festival, both online and offline. Anyone who violates this Code of Conduct will be warned or asked to leave at the discretion of the festival organisers.

We have some guidelines on acceptable and encouraged behaviour on our Inclusion page.

Who it applies to

This Code of Conduct applies to all Afrotech Fest attendees. This includes speakers, facilitators, sponsors, volunteers, venue staff and festival organisers.

Why we have one

Afrotech Fest aims to create an intentional space all attendees can enjoy without experiencing harassment or feeling unsafe. We expect cooperation from all those involved to help ensure a safer space for everybody.

What we ask of you

We will not accept the following behaviours at Afrotech Fest:

  • Violence or threats of violence toward another person
  • Incitement of violence towards any individual, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or to engage in self-harm
  • Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neurotype, physical appearance, body, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, language or religion. Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment
  • Deliberate misgendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names
  • Conversations or presentations that involve racism, ableism, misogyny, misogynoir, transphobia, transmisogyny, transmisogynoir, homophobia, biphobia, classism, fatphobia, body shaming or colourism
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, taking pictures or recording without permission
  • Sustained disruption of talks or other events
  • Inappropriate physical contact or sexual attention
  • Inappropriate social contact, such as requesting or assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others
  • Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent except as necessary to protect other members or other vulnerable people from intentional abuse
  • Sharing non-harassing private communication without permission

Afrotech Fest prioritises marginalised people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. Festival staff reserve the right not to act on complaints regarding:

  • ‘Reverse’ -isms, including ‘reverse racism,’ ‘reverse sexism,’ and ‘cisphobia’
  • Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you.”
  • Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial
  • Criticising racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behaviour or assumptions

When the Code of Conduct is not followed

Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour should comply immediately. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of festival staff immediately. You can identify festival staff by their Afrotech Fest branded clothing and/or badges.

If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, the festival organisers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or removal from the festival with no refund. If you are removed from the festival, you can not enter again.

Code of Conduct violations by festival staff

If a festival volunteer or organiser engages in harassing behaviour, please do not hesitate to contact another member of the festival team. They will take the appropriate action including warning the offender, expulsion from the festival or immediate withdrawal from their festival duties.

Contacting us

Before the festival

If you need to contact the Afrotech Fest organisers before the festival, email organisers@afrotechfest.co.uk

During the festival

To report an incident, alert any member member of the Afrotech Fest team. All team members will be wearing Afrotech Fest branded t-shirts. When taking a personal report, our staff will ensure you are safe and cannot be overheard. They may involve other festival staff to ensure your report is managed properly. Once safe, we’ll ask you to tell us about what happened; you can bring someone to support you. We won’t ask you to confront anyone and we won’t tell anyone who you are.

Feedback

This Code of Conduct is a living document. If you think anything is missing, or could be made clearer, please contact info@afrotechfest.co.uk

Credit

We encourage the use of this Code of Conduct by other events, especially those that aim to centre Black people and their work. Please credit Afrotech Fest if you do use it.

Thank you

This Code of Conduct builds on resources and guidance provided by Geek Feminism, CSSConf and JSConf, the Conference Code of Conduct, and the XOXO Community Code of Conduct.

Content at the links remain the sole property of content authors.