From a practical perspective, technology can help move the human rights agenda forward. For instance, the use of satellite data can monitor the flow of displaced people; artificial intelligence can assist with image recognition to gather data on rights abuses; and the use of forensic technology can reconstruct crime scenes and hold perpetrators accountable. Yet for the multitude of areas in which emerging technologies advance the human rights agenda, technological developments have equal capacity to undermine efforts. From authoritarian states monitoring political dissidents by way of surveillance technologies to the phenomenon of “deep fakes” destabilizing the democratic public sphere, ethical and policy-oriented implications must be taken into consideration with the development of technological innovations.
1. Ushahidi
If you want to report and upload incidents of violence, abuse, murder, theft, and other human rights corruption, Ushahidi is a platform for this. It is implemented and used in various countries to monitor various incidents. Whether it be elections, violence, and providing crucial information, this app has proved itself in all cases.
2. Martus
Martus is a platform for human rights defenders to collect, store, and share sensitive information about human rights abuse. All the data of previous and current crimes are stored here, and it even helps journalists and activists to document and use evidence while protecting the identities of those involved.
3. FrontlineSMS
FrontlineSMS is a messaging platform that uses text from grassroots organizations to reach and communicate with marginalized communities. It has been used to help people communicate in places with poor internet access and to deliver important data on human rights problems.
4. Blockchain For Land Rights
Blockchain technology is used to address land issues regarding rights throughout the World. It consists of all the land record data and transactions of ownership. This app helps people to protect their land from unsure means and land grabs. After the proper decision is made, certain action is also taken against the culprit.
5. Witness
A human rights non-profit with its headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, is called WITNESS. Its goal is to work with local organisations to encourage the documenting of human rights abuses and their effects, increase public participation, promote legislative reform, and pursue justice. Over 300 human rights organisations in more than 80 countries are partners with WITNESS.
6. The Guardian Project
Open-source mobile security software and operating system improvements are created by the global collection of software engineers, designers, advocates, activists, and trainers known as The Guardian Project. Additionally, they design personalised mobile gadgets that enable people to interact more freely while shielding themselves from surveillance and eavesdropping. Users that live or work in high-risk environments and frequently experience persistent surveillance and intrusion attempts into their mobile devices and communication streams are the focus of the initiative.
7. Open Street Map
The entire world’s map data is available for download and offline use. Without an Internet connection, Google Maps typically cannot function and can only cache a small area. Using Google Maps would make it hard to perform large-scale geocoding, routing, or analysis using OSM information.
8. Artificial Intelligence For Justice
Around the world, courts, prosecution departments, and other domain-specific judicial organisations are investigating the application of AI in judicial systems. For instance, several legal systems throughout the world already deploy AI technologies to support investigation efforts and automate decision-making procedures in the realm of criminal justice.
9. Community Cellular Networks
For the goal of maximizing the use of a finite number of frequencies, cellular communications systems split a broad geographic region into smaller portions or cells, each with a low-power wireless transmitter. As many people fail to reach these services, communities have gathered to together deal with and help the marginalized group.
10. Internet.org By Facebook
Through efficiency improvements and the facilitation of the creation of new business models centred on the provision of Internet access, the partnership between social networking services provider Meta Platforms and six companies, known as Internet.org, aims to provide less developed nations with affordable access to a selection of Internet services. In September 2015, the app providing these features underwent a name change to Free Basics. 100 million individuals were utilising internet.org as of April 2018.
