Content Moderation for Women Human Rights Defenders

About the Action Coalition

The Action Coalition on Content Moderation for Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) explores the challenges of WHRDs and tech companies as well as legislators and come up with recommendations for improved moderation and legislation in cooperation between the three actors that are seldomly engaged directly in dialogue to enhance common challenges for human rights and democracy. The purpose of the Action Coalition is also to investigate new novel approaches and partnerships to content moderation and WHRDs including local context specific solutions. The Coalition will draw upon lessons learnt from different types of content moderation across different types of platforms but focus solely on the moderation arena for WHRDs.

Objectives

The Action Coalition on Content Moderation for WHRDs seeks to achieve a number of short-term as well as long-term outcomes. In the shorter term, it is a goal to provide WHRDs the opportunity to address Tech platforms with their points of concern and key asks for improving content moderation. Furthermore, it is a short-term goal to achieve common recommendations from Action Coalition and obtain Advocacy Campaigns as well as presentation and debates at public events. In the longer term, it is a goal to obtain enhanced protection of WHRDs online as well as greater online participation of WHRDs.

Progress

So far, the Action Coalition has hosted a panel on the DSA and its potential impact on content moderation globally at RightsCon in May, 2022. Moreover, the Action Coalition has shared a final draft of the report Online Harassment and Censorship of Women Human Rights Defenders with the stakeholder network and potential Action Coalition members. The DCA has further participated in the 360 Open Summit and presented work on Tech for Human Rights in a panel facilitated by the Global Democracy Alliance as well as hosted a series of meetings with Tech Platforms, state actors and other stakeholders in cooperation with NDI for WHRDs to raise their challenges and key asks for the private sector and for states in order to improve content moderation in November 2022.

Next steps

The Action Coalition the DCA is planning to launch the final report Online harassment and censorship of Women Human Rights Defenders at the CSW 2023 at a side event co-hosted by NDI. Furthermore, the DCA is planning to host a panel again at the RightsCon 2023. The DCA will continue reaching out to tech sector platforms and other stakeholders in cooperation with NDI to explore ways of getting the private sector to commit to the work of the Action Coalition, including developing different models of engagement as well as continuing advocacy efforts to create awareness. Moreover, the DCA will continue to explore its unique position and contribution as a Nexus and faith-based organization in the Tech for Human Rights and Democracy community.