Supporting human rights online in times of crisis: A collection of useful resources

By APCNews

Published on 3 May 2020
Page last updated on 11 September 2023

APC understands that we are all dealing with unprecedented circumstances as we face the challenges, fear and uncertainty brought on by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know it impacts our work, our personal lives and the lives of those we care about. Each country is tackling the situation differently, so the contexts we find ourselves in are as diverse as the ways we find to navigate shifting conditions.

In these exceptional times, we wish to send our solidarity and appreciation for connecting with us. While we are distancing ourselves physically, we continue to stay closer than ever to each other and share tools and resources as well as support. We also want to examine how we can continue to promote human rights online in the context of a global pandemic. We are all facing this problem together but we know it affects different countries and communities in different ways. Therefore, we would like to channel the strength of our network to share some important resources that we hope will be empowering, enlightening and reassuring.

Below you will find articles and insights shared by our community, which has been working on human rights and technology issues for over 30 years. We will be updating these lists on a regular basis, so please feel free to connect with us if you have some resources to share.

Resources on remote work in times of crisis

Here at APC we do not have a physical office – our office is the world. Our colleagues are currently based in 22 countries and, until recent restrictions on travel, could be found in just about any corner of the planet where internet can reach us. Having garnered 30 years of experience in remote work, we wanted to share some resources that are helpful to our workflow with those who find themselves working from home for the first time, or who would like some additional tips and insights to help make their workdays a little smoother under these special circumstances.

Remote work

• Closer than ever: Keeping our movements connected and inclusive – The Association for Progressive Communications' response to the COVID-19 pandemic

• APC’s “Closer than ever” guidelines on remote work for social organisations.

• APC’s Twitter thread with tips for online work, which is being updated regularly.

• Along with GreenNet's ISP and hosting services, they have published these online tools for working from home, with a special emphasis on open-source tools.

• Report from GISWatch 2016 on remote work in Panama (in Spanish).

• Excellent Twitter thread by Jac sm Kee, including APC experiences and resources.

• APC member EngageMedia's response to COVID-19 as well as their guide to remote working: "How to not be socially distant online."

• Insightful Twitter thread by Mallory Knodel based on years of remote work experience.

• Remote presence tools for social distancing.

• Solidarity infrastructure for solidarity actions.

• "When it comes to team communication, faster isn’t always better."

• Remote working: Care for your body.

Digital safety and security

• Tor Project offers recommendations to help stay connected and safe, including if you are working with at-risk groups or sensitive information. Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

• Coconet presents Digital Hygiene 101: How to practice digital safety and security.

• eQualitie: Deflect extends free website security services in response to COVID-19.

• Front Line Defenders: Guide to Secure Group Chat and Conferencing Tools.

• Front Line Defenders: Physical, emotional and digital protection while using home as office in times of COVID-19: Ideas & tips for human rights defenders.

Resources on human rights / economic, social, cultural rights

The current state of pandemic is a time when governments are quickly imposing measures to try to mitigate the spread of the virus. Although it is a time of urgency, we echo the call of European Digital Rights (EDRi) for fundamental rights-based responses to COVID-19. We cannot allow systems that have been built for the protection of human rights to be dismantled. Therefore, we would like to share some important highlights, both from within our network and external reports, regarding the importance of keeping human rights at the forefront of all efforts to implement effective health practices during these turbulent times.

Authoritarianism, surveillance, freedom of expression

• Palestine: “Netanyahu imposes dangerous “Big Brother” surveillance under the pretext of a security response to the coronavirus.”

• Ecuador: “Surveillance measures to confront the pandemic pose a threat to human rights.”

• UN High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNHCR): “COVID-19: States should not abuse emergency measures to suppress human rights – UN experts.”

• China: “Can the Coronavirus Strengthen China’s Authoritarian Regime? How the Chinese Communist Party is using the health scare to advance its control over Chinese society.”

• “How Information on the Coronavirus is Managed on Chinese Social Media.”

• Latin America and the Caribbean: "Civil society from Latin America and the Caribbean demands respect for human rights when governments deploy digital technologies to fight COVID-19."

• “Sociedad civil pide a gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe que tecnologías digitales aplicadas ante la pandemia COVID-19 respeten los DDHH” (in Spanish).

• Lebanon: “We Demand Ministry of Telecommunications Open the Fixed and Mobile Internet Capacity and Reduce Prices During the COVID-19 Crisis” (petition).

• Index on Censorship/IFEX: Mapping attacks on media freedom during COVID-19 (in Portuguese).

• Brazil: RSF on attacks on press by Brazilian government (in Spanish).

• Africa: "Out of Control: Crisis, Covid-19 and Capitalism in Africa."

• Asia-Pacific: "Coconet: Fighting the COVID-19 "infodemic" in the Asia-Pacific region."

• "Joint civil society statement: States' use of digital surveillance technologies to fight pandemic must respect human rights."

• "NGO and expert statement to the OECD Secretary General on COVID-19, privacy and fundamental rights."

• "COVID-19 : Mise en quarantaine de l'Etat de droit au Sénégal. Mesdames, Messieurs, les députés, jusqu'où irez-vous? (ASUTIC)" (in French).

• Coconet: "To fight COVID-19 in Myanmar, stop the war and internet shutdown in Arakan."

• "#KeepItOn: Open letter to the government of India on lifting internet restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir during COVID-19 pandemic."

• Unwanted Witness: "Internet barriers constrain the work of Ugandan human rights defenders amidst COVID-19 pandemic."

• "The resilience of Kenya’s internet freedoms during the COVID-19 pandemic."

• "Foundation for Media Alternatives: Stop stifling free speech under the guise of COVID-19!"

• "Digital Rights in Palestine Between Emergency and Pandemic."

Exclusion / Inclusion

• "CIPESA: Why access to information on COVID-19 is crucial to persons with disabilities in Africa."

• Derechos Digitales on remote work, segregation and inequality (in Spanish).

• David Souter's column on coronavirus and inequality.

• David Souter's blog post, "Going viral".

• Insights by Jun-E Tan in Malaysia about the good that can come of the coronavirus.

• Report: “Refugees Are Especially Vulnerable To COVID-19. Don't Ignore Their Needs.”

• UNHCR statement: “The coronavirus outbreak is a test of our systems, values and humanity”.

• Human Rights Watch (HRW) report by Deborah Brown on the digital divide (with links to APC’s work to promote community networks and other local access initiatives).

• Statement by APC member May First Movement Technology on communication and changing movement culture.

• Social Justice Resources for COVID-19 Response.

• VOICE: "The whole-of-society approach to the COVID-19 pandemic."

• "Life as Commons": The coronavirus pandemic crisis has triggered a new wave of collective practices.

• African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition: Position paper in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feminist practices of digital tech

• "Feminist practices in forced lockdowns and remote lives: From Madrid, Sarajevo and Mumbai" by hvale, Leila and Shivani for APCNews.

• “Why Women May Face a Greater Risk of Catching Coronavirus.”

• “Women Are Bearing the Brunt of Coronavirus Disruption.”

• "What does feminist leadership look like in a pandemic?"

• "Feminist Pedagogy in a Time of Coronavirus Pandemic."

• "Feminist resources on the pandemic."

• "Unchecked corporate power paved the way for COVID-19, and globally, women are at the frontlines."

• "What do feminists have to say on #COVID19. A thread on Resources from (mostly) Global South thinkers" by Dr Rama Dieng. Extracted links from the thread for an easier reading

  • Posters from@FemnetProg

  • Why Nigeria knows better how to fight corona than the US

  • How the COVID-19 pandemic will affect informal workers. Insights from Kenya

  • Why imagination is the most powerful tool that feminists have at our disposal

  • Why social distancing won’t work for us

  • Homesick: Notes on lockdown

  • We got this: Finding hope in the time of COVID-19

  • Coronavirus Pandemic A Wake Up Call?

  • The Coronavirus Crisis and Decision on Commission on the Status of Women Exposes Structural Inequalities

  • Love and sex in the time of coronaviruses

  • Getting your groove on in the time of coronaviruses

  • How to have balance when you work for a global organisation

  • FRIDA Happiness Manifestx

  • The Coronavirus Is a Disaster for Feminism

  • Safeguarding women’s rights during the Covid-19 shutdown

  • Safeguarding women’s rights during Covid-19 shutdown

  • Unchecked corporate power paved the way for COVID-19, and globally women are at the frontlines

  • COVID-19 Highlights the Failure of Neoliberal Capitalism: We Need Feminist Global Solidarity

  • In times of coronavirus, how women domestic workers are coping with work and fear

• "The discipline of hope (a personal account)".

• "Care and Connection in Crisis: Feminist Strategy to Confront COVID-19" by Madre.

• "A Feminist Reading List on Care, Crisis and Pandemics" by Awino Okech.

• "Community Care: An Indigenous Response to Coronavirus" by yes! Magazine.

• "CREA Reflection on COVID-19."

• Call for a Feminist COVID-19 Policy: Statement of Feminists and Women’s Rights Organizations from the Global South and marginalized communities in the Global North.

• APC's Women's Rights Programme: An open letter to friends and partners.

• UN Women: Online and ICT facilitated violence against women and girls during COVID-19.

Labour rights

• “Coronavirus is revealing the gig economy’s sharp inequalities.”

• “Coronavirus Exposes Workers to the Risks of the Gig Economy.”

• “Coronavirus may require new legislation to protect workers’ rights.”

• “Apps profit from coronavirus putting deliverers at risk of contagion” (in Portuguese).

• “For India’s Laborers, Coronavirus Lockdown Is an Order to Starve."

• DEF: We need free talk time and internet during COVID-19.

Content moderation

• The shift to automation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• ARTICLE 19 calls for The Manila Principles to be used by companies in content moderation.

• WOUGNET: Flattening the COVID-19 pandemic curve calls for a fight against misinformation and disinformation.

• Open letter on COVID-19 content moderation research.

• Social media’s response to COVID-19 misinformation.

Data privacy / Tracking

• Striking a balance between effectiveness in contact tracing and fundamental rights preserving: Singapore launches TraceTogether mobile app to boost COVID-19 contact tracing efforts and European effort very similar to it about to be launched.

• Geolocation in this type of tracing is simply not appropriate technology as explained here and here.

• Aggregate data can still have relevant value, a good example of use in Europe can be read here.

• Cellphone tracking in South Africa

• Set of principles for protecting privacy and securing personal data sent to US congress.

• “Más de 60 expertos piden al Gobierno que actúe ante las "iniciativas privadas" que usan las apps del coronavirus para lucrarse“ (in Spanish). 

• Coalition letter regarding transparency and access in response to COVID-19.

• Poland: “Quarantined Poles can confirm their location with selfies using new government app.”

• Signapore: “Coronavirus: Singapore Government to make its contact-tracing app freely available to developers worldwide.”

• “La emergencia viral y el mundo de mañana. Byung-Chul Han, el filósofo surcoreano que piensa desde Berlín” (in Spanish). 

• “Keys to the Coronavirus: Why are Western countries failing to control the pandemic?”

• “Mobile phone industry has explored the creation of a global data-sharing system that could track individuals around the world, as part of an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19.”

• "Mapping Digital rights during corona virus in South Eastern Europe."

• "Coconet: How health security and individual privacy can go hand in hand."

• "Joint civil society open letter to the UN on public-private partnerships."

• "Inside the Digital Society: Finding a healthy balance."

Resources on environmental justice, sustainability and climate crisis

While the world focuses its attention and resources on dealing with the pandemic, it is an important time to reflect on how the current situation impacts environmental justice movements and our ongoing work on sustainability. What lessons can we learn from the world’s response to COVID-19 in terms of dealing with the climate crisis? How can we use this opportunity to ensure not only protection for people, but also for our planet?

• “What good can come from the coronavirus?”

• “Coronavirus and the climate movement.”

• “Czech Republic wants to scrap green deal in order to focus on coronavirus.”

• “How fresh economics can tackle coronavirus and climate change.” 

• “Covid-19 economic rescue plans must be green, say environmentalists.”

• “Why don’t we treat the climate crisis with the same urgency as coronavirus?”

• “Coronavirus fall in global CO2 emissions.”

• "Coronavirus Response Shows the World May Not Be Ready for Climate-Induced Pandemics”

• “How Climate Change Is Exacerbating the Spread of Disease.”

• “Here’s what a coronavirus-like response to the climate crisis would look like.” 

• “The Silver Lining of the COVID-Caused Recession is Supra-Economic.”

• "Global lockdowns might reduce CO2 emissions but won't halt climate crisis, scientists say."

• "Ontario suspends environmental oversight rules, citing COVID-19."

• "Biodiversity loss and wildlife trade are making pandemics like COVID-19 more likely, experts say."

• "Alberta suspends at least 19 monitoring requirements in oilsands, citing coronavirus concerns."

• "Deforestation of the Amazon has soared under cover of the coronavirus."

• "After the Covid-19 crisis, will we get a greener world?"

• "Record global carbon dioxide concentrations despite COVID-19 crisis."

• "Rising Voices: Contribute global perspectives on technology and the environment."