August 2024 – The International Civil Society Centre

We, the International Civil Society Centre, publish this Open Letter in cooperation with the CyberPeace Institute to Governments, Corporations and Philanthropies.

We represent organisations deeply committed to the public good. Whether addressing humanitarian crises, ensuring access to clean water, combating hunger, providing healthcare in remote areas, fighting violence against women, or combating child sexual abuse and human trafficking, we all face a common threat.

Today, we unite in a collective call to action, urging governments, corporations, philanthropies, and other benefactors to take decisive steps in safeguarding the cybersecurity of the valiant organisations that tirelessly combat the societal challenges we face.

In recent years, the digitisation of our activities has accelerated exponentially. Our organisations, employees, and volunteers are now part of an increasingly complex digital landscape. While this digitisation has significantly enhanced our ability to scale and deploy our missions rapidly, it has also exposed us to a myriad of cyber threats.

The digital domain now also serves as a battleground where our organisations, staff, and those we serve are targeted relentlessly. Whether it is data theft, reputational and credibility damage through disinformation, brutal ransomware attacks on our systems, or attempts to deploy spyware in our infrastructures, we face the most serious threats.

In an environment where resources are stretched and where we want those resources to be focused on the missions we are delivering, it is extremely challenging to keep pace with the evolving cybersecurity landscape. We lack the resources and expertise to undertake the state-of- the-art cybersecurity measures that our mission requires, and even completing basic steps can be challenging in many organisations.

This situation must change. Non-profit organisations stand on the frontlines, offering aid and support to the most vulnerable, yet they face an ever-growing barrage of cyber threats that could undermine their noble missions.

We call for the following measures to bolster the cybersecurity posture of civil society organisations:

Access to sustainable funding, through the establishment of a specialised fund, designed to improve the accessibility of cybersecurity tools, services, and platforms that meet our needs, without compromising our operational capacity or our ability to finance our missions.
An unwavering commitment from states, coupled with the expertise of cybersecurity experts, to identify and relentlessly pursue malicious actors that target our operations.
A public commitment from nation-states to not attack our organisations, including but not limited to, disseminating disinformation about and leveraging spyware against them.
Comprehensive public documentation on the human, societal, and environmental impacts of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns against our organisations fostering a culture of transparency and accountability in cyberspace.
Formal recognition of the civil society sector as a global critical infrastructure providing essential support worldwide.

Together, we can create a safer digital environment for those who strive to make our world a better place.

SIGNATORIES

Alistair Davison, Executive Director, Cordoba Peace Institute

Alix Vuillemin, Executive Director, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice

Andrew McCracken, Global Director, WaterAid International

Ángela María Rosales Rodríguez, Interim CEO, SOS Children’s Villages International

Avril Benoit, CEO, Doctors Without Borders USA

Bogdan Ivanel, Founder & CEO, Commit Global

Carlos Sanvee, Secretary General, YMCA

Caroline Harper, Chief Executive, Sightsavers

Casey Harden, CEO, World Young Women’s Christian Association

Cherian Mathews, CEO, HelpAge International

Ciprian Stănescu, President, Social Innovation Solutions

Daniel Eriksson, CEO, Transparency International

Denton Howard, Executive Director, INHOPE – The International Association of Internet Hotlines

Franziska Heine, Executive Director, Wikimedia Deutschland

Hervé Pichelin, Director, Maison Internationale des Associations (MIA)

James Cowan, CEO, The HALO Trust

Joeri Buhrer Tavanier, Acting Executive Director, Netherlands Helsinki Committee

Julian Newman, Campaigns Director, Environmental Investigation Agency

Julie Jacobson, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Bridges to Development

Justin Vaïsse, Founder & Director General, Paris Peace Forum

Karin Maasel, CEO, Data Friendly Space (DFS)

Karin van Boxtel, Director, Both ENDS

Kathleen A. Sherwin, Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer, Plan International

Kiran Nazish, Founding Director, The Coalition For Women In Journalism

Kirsten Burkhart, Executive Director, AIDS Resource Alliance, Inc.

Liz Hume, Executive Director, Alliance for Peacebuilding

Lydia Foeken, CEO, World Marrow Donor Association

Lysa John Berna, Secretary General, CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation

Maaike van Doorsen, Managing Director, The London Story

Mahdi Yahya, Chairman, Peace of Art International

Mark Jacobs, Managing Director, SEED Madagascar

Marta L. Tellado, CEO, Consumer Reports

Melanio Escobar, Executive Director, RedesAyuda

Melchior Lengsfeld, Executive Director Helvetas

Omri Preiss, Managing Director, Alliance4Europe

Paul Ash, Chief Executive, Christchurch Call Foundation

Philip Grant, Executive Director, TRIAL International

Philip Reitinger, President & CEO, Global Cyber Alliance

Pim Kraan, CEO, Save the Children Netherlands

Simon O’Connell, CEO, SNV

Stéphane Duguin, CEO, CyberPeace Institute

Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, Reporters Without Borders

Wolfgang Jamann, Executive Director, International Civil Society Centre

For more information about the initiative, please contact the CyberPeace Institute at media@cyberpeaceinstitute.org.

Cyber Peace Institute

Cyber Peace Institute is an NGO, supporting NGOs and other critical sectors, offering free cybersecurity assistance, threat detection and analysis whilst advocating for safety and security in cyberspace.

Wolfgang Jamann

Executive Director

International Civil Society Centre

Dr. Wolfgang Jamann is Executive Director of the International Civil Society Centre. Until January 2018 he was Secretary General and CEO of CARE International (Geneva). Before that he led NGO Deutsche Welthungerhilfe and the Alliance 2015, a partnership of 7 European aid organisations. From 2004-2009 he was CEO & Board member of CARE Deutschland-Luxemburg and President of the CARE Foundation. Previously, he worked for World Vision International as a regional representative in East Africa (Kenya) & Head of Humanitarian Assistance at WV Germany. After his Ph.D. dissertation in 1990 he started his career in development work at the German Foundation for International Development, later for the UNDP in Zambia. As a researcher and academic, he has published books and articles on East & Southeast Asia contributing to international studies on complex humanitarian emergencies and conflict management.

The Digital Dialogue series has become a key platform for civil society organisations (CSOs) worldwide to discuss topics related to digital technology and its impact on civil society. The panel series promotes understanding and awareness of the complex intersections between digital technology and the work of CSOs, while exploring the specific challenges and solutions for civil society organisations. “Through a variety of discussions, this series offers a space to address some of the biggest challenges CSOs face today, promoting a more inclusive, ethical, and collaborative approach to civic technology,” says Wolfgang Jamann, Executive Director of the Centre.

Now in its fourth year, the Digital Dialogue audience is spread across the globe. In our last dialogue, our audience represented every continent except Antarctica. So far this year, we have seen over 1,300 registrations from a wide variety of international CSOs, local CSOs, academics, and other civil society actors regularly joining our monthly sessions.

As diverse as the topics and audience are the panellists, most of whom work in CSOs and academia. “We look for practical people who are at the same time firmly grounded in principles and values,” says Ryan Stanton, the Event Manager of the Centre. He is proud that every single panel is balanced in terms of gender and geographic origin.

The International Civil Society Centre partners with CTIN (Civic Tech Innovation Network), and Digital Dialogue is a collaboration between both organisations. The panels are held (almost) monthly, except for breaks in August and January, on the first Thursday of the month. Geci Karuri-Sebina of CTIN says, “Our objective is to offer inclusive and, at the same time, diverse perspectives from expert speakers from both the Global North and South to enrich the dialogue and give a complete view of global challenges and innovative solutions in civic tech.” This year, the theme for our panels has been social justice, and we are debating how digital technology advancements should serve the public good and not increase inequalities.

In February, the series started with a session on e-waste management, highlighting the urgent need for responsible consumption, recycling, and supporting the right to repair movement. This discussion stressed the importance of regulating production and adopting circular economy practices to address the growing problem of electronic waste.

March and April’s sessions focused on elections, democratic participation, and digital technology, with an emphasis on Africa. March’s session examined digital technology’s influence on participation and transparency, while April’s session discussed youth participation, tech platforms, and advocacy campaigns. These discussions showcased various tactics employed to influence elections, as well as advocacy campaigns and technological solutions aimed at encouraging people to actively participate in elections, thereby increasing their involvement in democracy.

In May, the focus was on protecting minority groups from digital targeting, particularly LGBTQ+ groups and individuals. This important session explored strategies to shield vulnerable communities from online threats and advocated for creating safe and inclusive digital environments.

June’s dialogue tackled the complex role of artificial intelligence in conflict situations. The discussion considered the ethical issues of using AI in conflict zones, such as the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, particularly Gaza. The panellists weighed the potential benefits against the risks posed by these technologies.

July’s session focused on the ethics and accountability of civic tech development. This panel highlighted the responsibilities of developers and organisations to maintain ethical standards and stressed the need for accountability and protecting users from unethical tech practices.

In every Digital Dialogue session, we are committed to inclusivity and accessibility for all participants. Thanks to the support of Sightsavers and CBM Christian Blind Mission, we provide sign language interpretation and live captioning to ensure that the discussions are accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community. At each session, there is one deaf and one hearing sign interpreter, working together to bridge communication and promote an inclusive dialogue. This initiative reflects our belief in creating a space where everyone can engage meaningfully, regardless of their hearing ability.

“The 2024 Digital Dialogue series by the International Civil Society Centre and Civic Tech Innovation Network continues to inspire CSOs through the complex relationship between technology and social justice,” says Nkosinathi Mcetywa of CTIN. The series offers valuable insights into the complex issues affecting CSOs. These discussions not only highlight the challenges but also point the way towards a more equitable and just technological future. The series also emphasises the importance of working together, showing how multi-stakeholder approaches can have a greater impact.

Join us in September for our next panel in the 2024 series, on 5 September 2024, at 4 pm CEST: Can technology help address global food security challenges?

You can find information on past sessions and catch up on previous panels here. Are there any topics you would like to see covered in a future Digital Dialogue, let us know!

Rachel Wilkinson

Programme Manager – Futures and Innovation

International Civil Society Centre

Rachel leads the Futures and Innovation programme at the Centre. She is responsible for managing the portfolio of projects and events as well as leading and developing the Scanning the Horizon strategic peer learning platform. Rachel has more than 15 years of experience working in the third sector, on a national and international level, working for various ICSOs in international development and human rights in both London and Berlin.

Month: August 2024

Open Letter to Governments, Corporations and Philanthropies

SIGNATORIES

Cyber Peace Institute

Wolfgang Jamann

Digital Dialogue: Exploring Digital Technology and Social Justice

Rachel Wilkinson