resources
A list of human rights and freedom of speech organisations, and websites and software useful in dealing with dictatorial states
Charities + NGOs
- Stop the War - campaigning against UK government war policies, for Palestine, against Islamophobia, against attacks on Iraq, Iran or Syria, in defence of civil liberties. Website here
- War On Want - charity fighting against the root causes of poverty and human rights violations. Website here
- Reprieve - a UK-founded charity covering and exposing human rights abuses committed by the powerful against the powerless. Website here
- Index On Censorship - nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. Index publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech. Website here
- FORWARD UK - a charity that envisages a world where women and girls live in dignity, are healthy, have choices and equal opportunities by working on three key issues: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child Marriage and Obstetric Fistula. Website here
- Yemen Hope & Relief - grassroots aid organisation helping families of severely malnourished children in Yemen to help get treatment. Website here
- Womankind Worldwide - charity providing direct support for women and girls, from a safe place to escape violence or information about their rights to leadership training or funding to start their own business. Website here
- Labour Behind the Label - charity that campaigns for garment workers worldwide. Website here
- English PEN - charity that campaigns to defend writers and readers in the UK and around the world whose human right to freedom of expression is at risk. Website here
- Amnesty International - charity fighting for human rights worldwide. Website here
Internet Browsing
- The Onion Router (aka Tor browser) - free browser software and an open network that helps you defend against traffic analysis, a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security. Website here
- DuckDuckGo - search engine and privacy company that empowers you to take control of your personal information online, without any trade-offs. Website here
- StartPage - another search engine that gives Google search results but with privacy protection. Website here
- Brave - internet browser that blocks ads and trackers that violate privacy. Website here
Reports
- 2018 Freedom of Thought Report - global ranking of countries based on freedom of speech violations here
- 2018 Global Peace Report here
- Hope Not Hate International Islamophobia Report here
- Human Rights Watch 2019 - global review of human rights abuses, country-by-country here
- The Freedom House International Internet Censorship Report - country by country here
- International Trade Union Confederation - lists the world's worst countries for workers rights and interests. Website here
- Global Gender Gap Report - lists the world's worst countries for women's rights and equality. Website here
- All Generalizations Are False - home of the media bias chart that illustrates bias in major international media outlets. Website here
Learning
- free US-based online courses in human rights and related topics here
Lobbying
- Change.org - free international online petition platform. Website here
Operating Systems
- Debian - free open source computer operating system. Website here
Online Privacy
- Ghostery - browser extension that gives users control over ads and tracking technologies to speed up page loads, eliminate clutter, and protect data. Website here
Email
- Anonymous Email - article on how to create an anonymous email here
- Protonmail - free encrypted email. Website here
Secure Messaging
- Scuttlebutt - secure online messaging service. Website here
Journalism
- the Global Investigative Journalism Network's guide to reporting on human rights abuses in the Gulf Arab countries here
Fact Checking
- Snopes - the oldest and largest fact-checking site on the internet. Website here
- Politifact - fact-checking journalism, specifically in the US. Website here
- Factcheck.org - non-partisan, non-profit consumer advocate for American voters. Website here
- Stop the War - campaigning against UK government war policies, for Palestine, against Islamophobia, against attacks on Iraq, Iran or Syria, in defence of civil liberties. Website here
- War On Want - charity fighting against the root causes of poverty and human rights violations. Website here
- Reprieve - a UK-founded charity covering and exposing human rights abuses committed by the powerful against the powerless. Website here
- Index On Censorship - nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. Index publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech. Website here
- FORWARD UK - a charity that envisages a world where women and girls live in dignity, are healthy, have choices and equal opportunities by working on three key issues: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child Marriage and Obstetric Fistula. Website here
- Yemen Hope & Relief - grassroots aid organisation helping families of severely malnourished children in Yemen to help get treatment. Website here
- Womankind Worldwide - charity providing direct support for women and girls, from a safe place to escape violence or information about their rights to leadership training or funding to start their own business. Website here
- Labour Behind the Label - charity that campaigns for garment workers worldwide. Website here
- English PEN - charity that campaigns to defend writers and readers in the UK and around the world whose human right to freedom of expression is at risk. Website here
- Amnesty International - charity fighting for human rights worldwide. Website here
Internet Browsing
- The Onion Router (aka Tor browser) - free browser software and an open network that helps you defend against traffic analysis, a form of network surveillance that threatens personal freedom and privacy, confidential business activities and relationships, and state security. Website here
- DuckDuckGo - search engine and privacy company that empowers you to take control of your personal information online, without any trade-offs. Website here
- StartPage - another search engine that gives Google search results but with privacy protection. Website here
- Brave - internet browser that blocks ads and trackers that violate privacy. Website here
Reports
- 2018 Freedom of Thought Report - global ranking of countries based on freedom of speech violations here
- 2018 Global Peace Report here
- Hope Not Hate International Islamophobia Report here
- Human Rights Watch 2019 - global review of human rights abuses, country-by-country here
- The Freedom House International Internet Censorship Report - country by country here
- International Trade Union Confederation - lists the world's worst countries for workers rights and interests. Website here
- Global Gender Gap Report - lists the world's worst countries for women's rights and equality. Website here
- All Generalizations Are False - home of the media bias chart that illustrates bias in major international media outlets. Website here
Learning
- free US-based online courses in human rights and related topics here
Lobbying
- Change.org - free international online petition platform. Website here
Operating Systems
- Debian - free open source computer operating system. Website here
Online Privacy
- Ghostery - browser extension that gives users control over ads and tracking technologies to speed up page loads, eliminate clutter, and protect data. Website here
- Anonymous Email - article on how to create an anonymous email here
- Protonmail - free encrypted email. Website here
Secure Messaging
- Scuttlebutt - secure online messaging service. Website here
Journalism
- the Global Investigative Journalism Network's guide to reporting on human rights abuses in the Gulf Arab countries here
Fact Checking
- Snopes - the oldest and largest fact-checking site on the internet. Website here
- Politifact - fact-checking journalism, specifically in the US. Website here
- Factcheck.org - non-partisan, non-profit consumer advocate for American voters. Website here