When many people think about human rights work, they picture community meetings, legal advocacy, documentation, and public campaigns. Few think about firewalls, encryption, server logs, or secure backups.
Yet today, digital security has become one of the most important parts of defending human rights.
Over the years, working with civil society organisations and grassroots movements, I have watched the nature of risk change. Threats no longer come only through physical intimidation or legal pressure. They now arrive through phones, emails, websites, and social media accounts.
Human rights work now lives online
Almost every part of advocacy depends on digital systems:
- Communicating with communities
- Documenting abuses
- Submitting reports to donors
- Coordinating campaigns
- Managing volunteers
- Engaging the media
- Protecting sensitive contacts
When these systems are compromised, the entire movement is affected.
A hacked email account can expose sources.
A compromised phone can reveal networks.
A defaced website can destroy credibility.
Digital infrastructure is now part of frontline protection.
The gap between activism and security
Many activists enter this work driven by passion and justice. Few are trained in cybersecurity. This creates a dangerous gap.
I have seen organisations invest heavily in programmes while ignoring basic protection for their data and staff. Not because they don’t care, but because digital security is still misunderstood as “technical work”.
In reality, it is organisational safety work.
What strong organisations are learning
Resilient organisations are slowly changing their approach. They are beginning to:
- Treat digital risks like physical risks
- Include security in budgets
- Train non-technical staff
- Create response procedures
- Review systems regularly
- Share responsibility across teams
Security is becoming a culture, not a department.
My role in this shift
My work has evolved from “fixing computers” to helping organisations build safe systems. That means listening to their realities, understanding their fears, and translating complex risks into practical steps.
Firewalls matter.
But trust, habits, and leadership matter more.
Digital security is no longer optional.
It is part of protecting human dignity.