June 2022 Newsletter: Digital Rights Foundation launches its first Digital 50.50 for 2022
July 13, 2022DRF condemns the arbitrary Youtube shutdowns in the country as ‘Unconstitutional’
September 7, 2022NCHR, DRF and CEJ hold Consultation on Challenges faced by Women Journalists in the Media
On 29th July, Digital Rights Foundation, in collaboration with National Commission of Human Rights and Centre for Excellence in Journalism conducted a consultation on the challenges faced by women journalists in the media in Islamabad. The consultative meeting was attended by women journalists from across Pakistan. The purpose of the meeting was to give women journalists the space to air their concerns and to collectively address the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis. The meeting concluded with NCHR announcing the launch of complaint cell at the NCHR to address the issues and challenges that women journalists face.
The event received massive coverage:
https://www.geo.tv/latest/430553-women-journalists-at-high-risks-of-attack-censorship
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/978010-nchr-launches-complaint-cell-for-women-journalists
Online Campaigns
Well-being week
In collaboration with Free Press Unlimited, Digital Rights Foundation, held a week-long online campaign on well-being and self-care for journalists and human rights defenders. The campaign shared content on what self-care is and how incorporating little things in our daily life can go a long way to increase our productivity, improve our physical and mental health outcomes, make us more empathetic and increase our self-esteem. The content also highlighted tips on identifying the signs of burnout and stress and dealing with them in a proactive manner.
A to Z of Online Safety
In collaboration with Free Press Unlimited, Digital Rights Foundation started an online campaign for journalists focusing on the A-Z of online safety. During the campaign, DRF has been posting a tip a day on how can journalists ensure safety in the online spaces.
#OnlinePrivacyCheckup
DRF has been doing a campaign on online privacy and reviewing social media apps security and how to make it better through a few simple steps.
Policy initiatives
DRF took part in assisting Punjab’s ‘Cyber Violence Reforms Committee’
DRF’s Executive Director Nighat Dad was named part of the Punjab government’s Cyber Violence Reforms Committee. The organization provided recommendations to the government to address issues of online gender-based violence to ensure survivor-centric support and assistance. The organization will continue to assist government departments and committees in the future.
DRF submitted its stakeholder input for Pakistan’s fourth cycle for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
DRF made its individual submission to Pakistan’s fourth cycle of the UPR due early 2023. Reporting to international bodies is an important part of Pakistan’s participation in the international human rights community and we hope the recommendations put forward in the submission regarding online freedoms are paid heed to.
Events
Round Table on Investigation and Prosecution of Gender-Based Crimes
DRF’s Aqsa Javed spoke at the Round Table on Investigation and Prosecution of Gender Based Crimes on the 28th of July, 2022. The conference was attended by lawyers, journalists, politicians, police officials, and experts from across the city. In this conference, the panelists discussed the causes of Gender Based Crimes and gave recommendations for eliminating this factor from society and the prevalent criminal justice system.
DRF at Nur Student Leadership Program (NSLP)
DRF’s Zainab Durrani and Seerat Khan held a session on 27th July at the Nur Student Leadership Program (NSLP) at Fatima Memorial with students from O-levels and A-levels on online harassment. The session was attended by around 50 students who discussed the importance of having a strong online privacy.
Free Press Unlimited (FPU) Regional Meeting:
The Free Press Unlimited Regional Meeting which was held in Phuket, Thailand this year from 19 to 21 July was attended by a representative from DRF. The participants from South and South-East Asia came together to discuss the current state of threats and crisis that journalists face in their respective countries
Press Coverage
Pakistan’s digital ID card keeps millions locked out
DRF’s Nighat Dad spoke to Thomson Reuters Foundation on data breaches. She focused primarily on women who are particularly vulnerable to breaches of Pakistan’s biometric ID database and how their data is weaponized against them. There was also a focus on the need for a data protection law without which there is little possible recourse.
Link to piece: https://news.trust.org/item/20220725151706-n2lku/
NWJDR members win in 2022 Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Film Competition
NWJDR is proud to share that our two members, Zeenat Khan and Khalida Niaz have won the grand prize and 1st runner-up in 2022 Women’s Empowerment and Religious Freedom Film Competition for their films, She Stood Against Religious Extremism & Peace Promoters respectively.
She Stood Against Religious Extremism tells the true story of a young woman in a war-torn region of Pakistan who starts an initiative to counter religious extremism and sectarian violence by holding dialogue sessions with youth from different beliefs and religions.
In Peace Promoters, a young woman in Peshawar, Pakistan counters religious-based violence by building relationships among different faith influencers.
We are proud of the work these women are doing in KP and we are here always to support them Fatima Nazish, Wagma Feroz, Jamaima Afridi, Zeenat Khan and Khalida Niaz.
DRF’s Shmyla Khan shares insights about AI in the Tech Broken Promises
DRF’s Shmyla Khan talks about AI creating an illusion of something happening without human input and how AI can act as “a high tech smokescreen to blur harms against people.”
Link to piece: https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/tech-broken-promise-shmyla-khan/
DRF Updates
Cyber Harassment Helpline
The Cyber Harassment Helpline received 213 complaints in July with 142 of these from women throughout the country. If you’re encountering a problem online you can reach out to our helpline on 0800-39393, email us at helpdesk@digitalrightsfoundation.pk or reach out to us on our social media accounts.
DRF’s Cyber Harassment Helpline is now switching to 7 days a week. You can now call us on 0800-39393 Monday till Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.
IWF Portal
DRF in collaboration with Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and the Global Fund to End Violence Against Children launched a portal to combat children’s online safety in Pakistan. The new portal allows internet users in Pakistan to anonymously report child sexual abuse material in three different languages- English, Urdu, and Pashto.
StopNCII.org
Meta along with Revenge Porn Helpline (RPH) has launched a portal to support victims of Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse (NCII). NCII is a free portal for reporting cases of sensitive or sexual content existing online. Once you report a case, the necessary steps will be taken to block the images from the platform.
