SECURITY PRINCIPALS

VIDERE supports local activists to document human rights violations in a variety of operating environments around the world, ranging from active conflict zones to closed, surveillance-heavy states. Our evidence-based methods uncover how perpetrators act when they think the cameras are off. We operate under five security principles:

WHAT DRIVES OUR SECURITY PRINCIPALS?

The courageous individuals Videre supports face significant personal risks on the front-lines documenting human rights violations. Yet, they are often the least protected in the documentation chain. After exhaustive consultation with security experts, we concluded that operating discreetly was one of the most effective forms of protection we could provide. Simply stated, public disclosure of where and how we operate places our teams at substantial and immediate risk, makes our teams obvious targets of hacking and phishing attempts, and can result in greater surveillance of all residents in the communities where our teams engage.

State security services and armed non-state actors target human rights defenders. Repressive governments are capable of targeting civil society actors at home and abroad, and specific details regarding our work could provide knowledge on who and what to look for when targeting human rights defenders. Nefarious actors with intent to harm our in-country teams could make a clear link to our international staff, and utilize a range of online tools to access security sensitive data about their lives, families, locations and work. As global civic spaces continue to contract and the physical, digital, legal and psychological attacks on human rights defenders increase, the responsibility to protect our partners and team has never been greater. Our security principles are all focused on two core values – to protect as much as possible our colleagues on the front-lines of some of the world’s worst abuses, whilst enabling them to safely share their stories with the world. 

Graphic design courtesy of Morin Glimmer – MorinGlimmer.com

VIDERE EST CREDERE. UK COMPANY NO. 06706030. UK REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1130375
3RD FLOOR, 86-90 PAUL STREET, LONDON EC2A 4NE, UK +44 (0) 1344 595988