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.
