Security Principals

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:

Team Safety First.
Our public profile is deliberately limited.
We do not take public credit for our work.
We do not publicize the countries where we work, and our name does not appear in relation to our specific projects or countries of operation in any public facing documents.
We operate with depth and durability, intentionally focusing in a few selected locations. As a result we don’t have the global footprint of larger organizations that can obscure specifics of their operations.

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.

VIDERE EST CREDERE. UK COMPANY NO. 06706030. UK REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1130375
3RD FLOOR, 86-90 PAUL STREET, LONDON EC2A 4NE, UK

Graphic design courtesy of Morin Glimmer – MorinGlimmer.com

Ethical Funding Policy

Here we outline the principles by which funds are raised at Videre.

We rely almost entirely on voluntary support to meet the costs of our activities, and the majority of our funding comes from grants provided by private trusts and foundations, governments, development organisations and individuals.

To help guarantee the availability of ongoing funds to pay for our work, we aim to maintain a broad base of funding sources, and actively seek opportunities to work together with external organisations and individuals that share our aims and values. At the same time, it is vital that we maintain our independence and do not allow any external partnership to unduly influence our policies or actions, either explicitly or implicitly.

We appreciate all offers of support, however we also have a responsibility to all our stakeholders to consider the ethical implications and risks of working with, or accepting funding from, any state, organisation or individual. We therefore apply a vetting process to all proposed gifts to ensure that we do not take donations that might contradict or compromise our objectives, activities, or values. We reserve the right to refuse or return donations where we feel this might be the case, but in all instances, we will explain our reasons.

We consider accepting financial support from organisations and individuals on the following basis:

It is clear that such support will benefit Videre and our partners
The aims, values and activities of donors, as far as can be reasonably assessed, do not conflict with those of Videre
Videre is satisfied that association with donors will not: compromise our aims and values, or our independent status; result in adverse publicity or other reputational damage; lead to a decline in support, or in the resources available to fund our work; or damage our longer term fundraising prospects
It is not a requirement of financial support to advertise or promote any company or organisation.

We may accept anonymous individual, or trust, donations where there has been a rigorous third party due diligence process, to confirm that our ethical guidelines have been met. If a supporter makes themselves known to Videre but wishes their gift to remain anonymous, we will honour these wishes, again on the basis that our ethical guidelines have been met. The information we hold on our donors is regarded as confidential and is not shared with or sold to any third party.

All decisions to accept funding are ultimately made by the Senior Management Team and Executive Board on a case-by-case basis. We behave with integrity in all our fundraising, raising funds in accordance with our fundraising policy and ethical principles. We comply with all relevant UK laws and regulation, including those related to privacy, money laundering rules, sanctions requirements, and the UK Bribery Act. This policy is regularly reviewed to ensure we continue to meet all related laws and regulations, and are responsive to any emerging lessons in best practice.

Registration

Videre is a registered charity and not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Videre is also deemed to be the equivalent of a US charity, as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. Videre’s current Foreign Public Charity Equivalence Determination (ED) certificate is available via NGOsource.org.