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Take Back the Tech! But know the risks first

By Grady Johnson, Jennifer Radloff and Erika Smith Africa

Like any tool, ICTis can be tremendously useful, but dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. This is doubly true for activists and women's rights defendersi. Jennifer Radloff and Erika Smith speak to participants from one of our secure online communications for women human rightsi defenders workshops who share their own experiences with ICTs and what they've learned from the training.

Women activists and internet governance: let's open the debate

By Dafne Sabanes Plou Global

Dafne Plou reports on the workshop of about 20 women's rightsi advocates from different countries and backgrounds who met late September 2011, in Nairobi, Kenya, just before the 6th Internet Governance Forum ito share their experiences in policyi advocacyi and to discuss internet governancei and its linkage to women’s rights agendas. The workshop was organised by the APC Women's Networking Support Programmei (APC WNSP).

Who's gonna track me?

By Flavia Fascendini Asia-Pacific, Latin America

Flavia Fascendini looks at the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rightsi defenders -- which, for the first time in history, focuses on the situation of women's human rights defenders. Drawing on the report's findings, she talks to South-East Asian women's activists about the unique security risks they face online.

Connectedness or alienation?

By Maya Ganesh Africa, Arab States, Asia-Pacific

Women's human rightsi activist Edna Aquino remarks on how ICTis have impacted her work, presenting both new opportunities and new risks. In her interview with new GenderIT.orgi writer, Maya Ganesh, Edna argues that activists using ICTs must be mindful of alienating women with the use of excessive jargon, and must always be keenly aware that there are inherent risks in online communications. However, she argues that these problems can be remedied through secure online communications training and capacity building.

ICT skills gap = online security risks

By Mavic Cabrera-Balleza Global

GenderIT.orgi contributor Mavic Cabrera-Balleza interviews Mary Jane Real, outgoing coordinator of the Women Human Rights Defendersi International Coalition about the use of interneti and information and communication technologies by women human rights defenders, the opportunities they present as well as the digital security risks women human rights defenders confront. Real goes on to share her ideas on how the risks could be minimized or eliminated.

“Defending yourself means defending your community”

By Jennifer Radloff and Running Toddler Asia-Pacific

In the second part of the interview with c5 and anonymous, the trainers from the secure online communications workshop provide strategies for mitigating some of the dangers for women's human rightsi defenders. While examining the practices of policyi-makers, interneti intermediaries and every day users, they conclude that security means more than just awareness -- it requires behavioural change.

The changing face of women's rights activism: be careful what you say online

By Jennifer Radloff and Running Toddler Asia-Pacific

Jennifer Radloff, GenderIT.orgi contributor, and Running Toddler, a participant of a recently hosted workshop in secure online communications for women human rights defendersi, interviewed the workshop's trainers, c5 and anonymous. In this first part of the interview, the trainers talk about their experience in training activists and human rights defenders to use technology securely, and the challenges inherent in communicating safely as feminists and women's human rightsi defenders, and the importance of awareness that these technologies can both serve us and put us at risk.

Statements

6th UN IGF: Statement by the Gender Dynamic Coalition on gender equality and women's rights

By Gender DC

The Gender iDynamic Coalition stateiment issued during the 6th UN Internet Governance Forum iin September 2011, in Kenya, criticises the continued gender imbalance in both participation (as speakers and participants of workshops and sessions) and substance of the discussions at IGF. It also supports the call to make human rightsi the IGF 2012 theme and requests that equal attention be paid to women's rightsi, emphasising the need of a rights-based approach instead of protectionist solutions.

Policy Papers

Commentary to the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders

By UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

The Commentary to the Declaration on Human Rightsi Defenders maps the rights protected in the Declaration and explains in what parts of the document are they protected, unpacks what each right entails and which are the common restrictions and violations of those rights, and lastly highlights good practices and recommendations regarding those rights. It pays particular attention to the specifics of the situation of women human rights defendersi and the particular challenges they face, The guide is based mostly on information received and reports produced by the institute of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

Laws and Regulations

UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders

This Declaration recognises the legitimacy of human rightsi work and the need for these activities and those who carry them out to be protected. It articulates existing rights contained in the major human rights instruments, such as the right to freedom of expressioni, association and assembly, as they apply to the situation of human rights defenders. It also outlines that not only Stateis, but also non-State actors (such as corporations and “fundamentalist” groups), have the duty to protect human rights defenders against any violence, retaliation and intimidation as a consequence of their human rights work.

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