The United States' Agency for International Development (USAID) has tied up with The Asia Foundation in launching a P16.8-million initiative that will strengthen Philippines-based human rights organizations’ capacity to fight doxing, phishing, organized digital attacks and other forms of cybersecurity threats.
According to the US Embassy in Manila, the “Cybersecurity for Human Rights in the Philippines” (C4HR-PH) initiative will provide tools and training to more than 150 local organizations across the country over ten months.
Cybersecurity experts from The Asia Foundation will work closely with national human rights coalitions to design and deliver trainings in risk management, digital security assessments, phishing awareness, and the adoption of cybersecurity protocols, such as multi-factor authentication and regular data backups. The tools and knowledge provided through C4HR-PH will help human rights defenders conduct their crucial advocacy work, safeguard private data, and advance justice and accountability without disruption or retribution, the embassy said.
"Now more than ever, civil society organizations are reliant on technology and the internet to operate and pursue our advocacies,” Sheila Formento, National Coordinator of the Alternative Law Groups, a coalition of organizations that provide legal services to marginalized communities, said.C4HR-PH underscores USAID's commitment to fostering secure, empowered, and resilient organizations that can continue their critical work of promoting human rights and democracy, the embassy said.
“Cyber resilience is not just about protecting data; it is about ensuring that democracy defenders can continue their vital work without fear of digital interference,” USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Rebekah Eubanks said.
“This initiative reflects USAID’s commitment to fostering a safe and open digital space for civil society,” she added.
Civil society organizations are considered a high-risk community for cyberattacks because they can become under direct threat of malicious attackers but have limited defense capabilities, according to he Asia Foundation Philippines Country Representative Sam Chittick.
"This crucial program will give our participants the tools and knowledge to better prevent disruptions, defend themselves, and continue to advance the work that they do,” Chittick said.