Training workshop on digital safety for women human rights defenders in Dhaka

Digital safety is no longer an issue confined to technology experts; it has become an integral part of protecting and advancing human rights. Emphasising this connection, a training workshop titled “Digital Safety for Women Human Rights Defenders” was held Saturday at the YWCA Conference Room in Dhaka, reports a press release.

The workshop was organised by VOICE, a rights-based research and advocacy organisation, with the support of Association for Progressive Communications (APC). It brought together women journalists, women human rights defenders, and Indigenous rights activists to strengthen their understanding and capacity to address digital threats and promote safer online spaces.

Through practical, hands-on sessions, participants received training on multiple aspects of Digital hygiene and online privacy, fighting AI based online violence, threat modelling and digital safety planning, protecting social media identity and activism.

The digital safety strategies were presented by Musharrat Mahera and Priyata Tripura from VOICE. They remarked, “As women human rights defenders increasingly rely on digital platforms in their work, they face growing risks to their privacy, security, and sensitive information. Ensuring digital safety is therefore essential to protecting the information they handle, safeguarding their online presence, and enabling them to continue their human rights work without fear of digital threats or harassment.”

Digital safety and security specialist Tanvir Hasan Zoha said, “Protecting women human rights defenders in the digital space requires strong online privacy practices, responsible digital habits, and the knowledge and skills to identify and combat emerging forms of AI-driven violence and harassment.”

Digital safety professional Sadman Ahmed stated “Women human rights defenders need to understand their digital risks and develop proactive safety plans to protect themselves. Securing social media identities and online activism is essential to maintaining their digital presence, protecting their voices, and continuing their advocacy without fear.”

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE, said, “Digital rights and freedom of expression are deeply interconnected, particularly for women human rights defenders who rely on digital platforms to raise their voices and advocate for justice. Ensuring a safe digital environment and strengthening digital literacy are essential to protecting their online identities, safeguarding their voices, and enabling them to exercise their freedom of expression without fear of harassment, threats, or intimidation.”

The workshop covered key topics through hands-on activities, including threat modeling for self-risk analysis, the use of artificial intelligence, strong passwords, two-factor authentication for critical social media accounts, VPNs, safe browsing with Tor Browser, encrypted communication, and data backup.

Participants also practiced identifying malicious links, safeguarding mobile devices and social media privacy, and protecting their digital security while reporting in the field; such as by avoiding public Wi-Fi and disabling geo-location tracking.