Posts Tagged ‘protection’
December 3, 2013
For 10 years, Tactical Technology Collective have worked with human rights defenders, in order to help them better to protect their sensitive data, their communications, themselves and their communities when carrying out their work, through developing online resources, books, and carrying out regular trainings around the world. As part of this process, it has developed the “Security in a Box” book and toolkit (https://securityinabox.org) which now receives around 200,000 visits per month.
However, in order to continue improving our materials and make digital security easier to understand and contextualise for specific communities of human rights defenders, they have begun a process of creating “context guides” which make the guide more accessible for certain communities at risk. The idea of this survey is to help create and improve such a guide, for LGBTI activists from Africa, which would help the community understand the need for healthy digital security practices by demonstrating the risks they face and providing stories of best practices from others in the community.
You can find the survey at https://tacticaltech.org/africa-survey. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Daniel Ó Clunaigh: dan@tacticaltech.org.
[to get an idea of such a guide, created for LGBTI human rights defenders from the Arabic-speaking world, see in English: https://securityinabox.org/en/context/01]
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Africa, collaboration, digital security, Frontline Defenders, Human right, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, LGBT, protection, Security-in-a-box, survey, Tactical Tech Collective, Tactical Technology collective
November 13, 2013
Technology is becoming increasingly important in documenting and preventing human rights abuses. But emerging technologies can also pose a threat to human rights defenders. Two pieces on AI’s blog demonstrate that:
On 11 November Tanya O’Carroll, Technology & Human Rights Project Officer, and Danna Ingleton, Individuals & Communities at Risk Research & Policy Advisor, blogged under the title: “An Invisible Threat: How Technology Can Hurt Human Rights Defenders“while Sami Goswami used the headline: “How Technology Is Helping Us Better Protect Human Rights”.
The piece focusing on the negative aspects says inter alia Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in AI, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 3 Comments »
Tags: Amnesty International, email, Front Line Defenders, Human right, Human Rights Defenders, information technology, internet, Jenni Williams, mobile phones, Non-governmental organization, Norma Cruz, protection, threats, urgent action, USA AI
October 25, 2013
A post of 24 October in LGBT Weekly informs about a cooperation between Front Line Defenders and the LGBTI Support Centre of the of the Helsinki Committee for human rights of the Republic of Macedonia and the ACI-Particpa in Honduras in a new campaign RADIOHRD. LGBTI rights defenders attempt to increase their recognition and capacity to carry out their work by sharing a clear message on Public Service Announcements [PSAs] in each country in order to change societal attitudes and institutional frameworks that lead to violence and discrimination. This new campaign utilizes radio as one of the most powerful tools for awareness raising and reform. “In a time where technologies of information play an increasingly important role in the processes of social change, we find that the radio is still the most reliable, trusted and widely used media amongst all sectors of society all around the world, and Honduras and Macedonia are no exception to this”, explains Kocho Andonovski, program director of the LGBTI Support Centre in Macedonia. Through this awareness raising campaign, eight human rights defenders give their testimony to illustrate the reality faced by the LGBTI communities and those working to promote their rights and end violence and discrimination. During the coming months, national and local radio stations in Macedonia and Honduras will broadcast the series of Public Service Announcements PSAs, short radio spots aimed to promote the recognition that LGBTI rights defenders are engaged in legitimate and valuable work to promote human rights. The campaign will also be broadcasted via the website http://www.radiohrd.org, where video interviews, petitions in support of the defenders and further information are also available.
via Front Line Defenders uses radio to promote the security of LGBTI rights defenders | LGBT Weekly.
Posted in Front Line, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: awareness raising, campaign, Frontline Defenders, gay rights, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, homophobia, Honduras, Human right, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, LGBT, LGBT social movements, LGBTI, protection, PSA, public service announcements, radio, radio journalist, Republic of Macedonia, www.radiohrd.org
October 3, 2013
The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Bangladesh, a member of the Law Commission, and several rights activists and academics said on Saturday 28 september that the state should not treat human rights defenders as its enemy. They also expressed concern over the use of several laws against human rights defenders Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Advocacy Organizations, Bangladesh, Human right, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, Law Commission, Mizanur Rahman, National Human Rights Commission, national human rights institutions, protection, repression, Shah Alam, United Nations
September 27, 2013
(Kristi Pinderi, LGBT activist from Albania, with Natalia Bracelet)
Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders announced today, 27 September 2013, that Kristi Pinderi, LGBT activist from Albania, will be one of the first human rights defenders to be included in the Natalia Project security system. His bracelet is activated just in time Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: albania, alert system, Belgrade, Belgrade Pride parade, Civil Rights Defenders, digital security, human rights, Human rights defender, Kristi Pinderi, LGBT, Natalia, Natalia project, North Caucasus, protection, South-east asia, tool, western balkans
September 12, 2013
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, Protection International | Leave a Comment »
Tags: computer, eLearning, Human rights defender, Human Rights Defenders, Information security, NGOs, Organization, protection, Protection International, security, technology, training course, User (computing)
September 11, 2013
Having last week referred to 3 different (and competing?) techno initiatives to increase the security of HRDs, i would be amiss not to note the post of 11 september 2013 by Tanya O’Caroll on the AI blog concerning the development of the Panic button. Over the next couple of months, she will be keeping you posted about the Panic Button. If you want to join the community of people working on Panic Button, please leave a comment on the site mentioned below or email panicbutton@amnesty.org.
via Inside the development of Amnesty’s new Panic Button App | Amnestys global human rights blog.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Advocacy Organizations, Amnesty International, Artificial intelligence, global human rights, HRDs, Human right, Human Rights and Liberties, Human Rights Defenders, information technology, internet, mobile phones, Panic Button, protection, technology, YouTube
September 5, 2013
On 7 April 2013 I posted on this blog the announcement of the Anti-kidnap alarm for human rights defenders in form of the Natalia bracelet launched in Stockholm by Civil Rights Defenders.
This was followed 10 days later, 17 April, by a post referring to the Panic Button developed by Amnesty International (“How to turn a mobile phone into an alert system for human rights defenders: AI’s Panic Button”).
Now the New York based Human Rights foundation announces its Partnership with global encrypted communications firm Silent Circle to protect the private communications of political dissidents, human rights groups, and civil society organizations in at-risk scenarios. (http://humanrightsfoundation.org/HRF-Announces-Silent-Circle-Partnership-to-Support-Dissidents-04-09-2013.php)
There exist already the older and more wide-ranging tools of: “Security in a Box” (a collaboration between Front Line and Tactical Tech Collective – see http://security.ngoinabox.org/welcome) and Protection International‘s on-line Manual: http://protectioninternational.org/publication/new-protection-manual-for-human-rights-defenders-3rd-edition/.
While these (and perhaps other tools that I have missed!) may have all different features, the question could be asked who among the hard-pressed human rights defenders on the ground have the time and energy to sort through all this and pick what is most meaningful for them? Competition may well bring out the best but can also be confusing.
Posted in Front Line, human rights | 4 Comments »
Tags: Amnesty International, Civil Rights Defenders, Human right, human rights, Human rights defender, Human Rights Foundation, information technology, internet, Natalia project, Panic Button, protection, Protection International, Security-in-a-box, Silent Circle, Tactical Tech Collective, technology
August 22, 2013
Although the deadline for nominations (15 August) has passed, I still want to draw your attention to a new series of human rights awards instituted by Pan-African HRDs Network (PAHRD-Net), which in turn is made up of five sub-regional networks i.e. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network hosted by the International Commission of Jurists and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and Central African Human Rights Defenders Network.
The new awards aim to honour exceptional individuals who peacefully promote and protect universally recognized rights as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Altogether six awards will be presented, one Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Award and five sub-regional awards:
– East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– West Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
– Northern Africa Human Rights Defenders Award 2013
Both individuals and organizations are eligible. Awards include support to the human rights work of the winning individual or organisation with a total value of 10 000 USD for the Pan-African award winner and 5 000 USD for each sub-regional award winners. The winners will be selected by an independent jury. Nominations should be returned to: hrdaward@defenddefenders.org.
The awards will be presented to the winners at the occasion of the 54th Ordinary Session of the Africa Commission on Human and People’s Rights scheduled to be held in October 2013 in Banjul, The Gambia.
allAfrica.com: Africa: Call for Nominations – Pan African HRD Award 2013.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Africa, awards, Banjul, human rights, Human Rights and Liberties, human rights awards, Human Rights Defenders, International Commission of Jurists, Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network, protection, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
June 18, 2013
In its concluding observations, the United Nations Committee on the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has asked Pakistan to improve in key areas of education, legislation, employment and public and political participation of women. The observation were shared and discussed at a consultation organised by Aurat Foundation. Human Rights activist Tahira Abdullah highlighted the challenges and constraints in the way of implementation of CEDAW and Naheed Aziz discussed role of civil society in application of CEDAW. ……. In its other recommendation regarding education, the committee has asked the government to prevent the occurrence of attacks and threats against educational institutions which undermine women and girls’ fundamental rights. The committee-members have urged Pakistani government to prevent, investigate, and punish gender-based violence by non-state actors in conflict affected areas and have suggested the government to conduct an assessment of the impact of the conflict situation on women and girls and strictly enact legislation regulating the trade, sale and possession of small arms. The Committee has asked the government to ensure the safety and protection of women human rights defenders and mobilize adequate resources to address the specific risks and security needs of women’s rights defenders.
via CEDAW calls for improvement in key areas of education, legislation, employment – thenews.com.pk.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Aurat Foundation, CEDAW, CEDAW Committee, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, human rights of women, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Pakistan, protection, right to education, United Nations, women human rights defenders
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 