Project

Cyber Resilience among Women CSOs and Women Human Right Defenders in Southeast Asia

This project explores cyber security threats, risk factors and vulnerabilities in civil society organisations and among women human rights defenders.

Date Published
12 Jul 2023
Project Type
Research
Project Status
Active

This research project aims to explore the cyber security threats, risk factors and vulnerabilities that exist in civil society organisations (CSOs) and among women human rights defenders. It involves survey methods and interviews with women human right defenders, which are defined by UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as “all women and girls working on any human rights issue” (“women defenders” and “girl defenders”), as well as “people of all genders who work to promote women’s rights and rights related to gender equality”. 

The project involves survey methods and interviews with women human right defenders, aimed at reflecting on issues including what kind of training was provided to them through their organisation to maintain their security, as well as their different behaviours related to staying safe online and maintaining the security of their data. 

Part of the project consists of a cyber audit that not only provides a technical analysis of the potential vulnerabilities that organisations may face but also investigates the way people use digital devices, systems, and networks, as well as the sort of policies that organisations have in place to protect data, to maintain privacy, etc. 

The team working on this project is led by UNU Macau’s Dr. Jaimee Stuart and includes UNU Macau’s Dr. Cara Antonaccio and Mr. Arthit Suriyawongkul, as well as Dr. Mamello Thinyane, who is currently Optus Chair of Cybersecurity and Data Science, at the University of South Australia’s UniSA STEM. 

Project Manager
Jaimee Stuart

Related content

Project

Legal Research on Adaptation, Loss and Damage, and Reparation

This project examines the legal issues surrounding international support and reparations for vulnerable countries to climate change.

13 Aug 2026

Policy Brief

Misinformation, Disinformation and the Crisis of Trust in Public Institutions

A multilevel agenda for information integrity in an era of fragmented data governance.

03 Aug 2026

Media Coverage

UN University rector Tshilidzi Marwala: You can’t regulate AI without fully understanding it

In Geneva Solutions, UNU Rector Tshilidzi Marwala says lawmakers need AI literacy to regulate AI effectively.

30 Jul 2026