Digital Innovations for Human Rights
Our Innovation Program aims to create digital solutions for Human Rights Defenders to execute their work in better, more efficient and more secure ways. In order to implement these solutions, your motivated team can apply with a digital idea, project or approach to win up to 60.000.000 UGX in total and qualify for the following 6-month Mentorship Program.
Innovation Timeline
Call for Ideas
If you have an idea, solution or approach to improve human rights work, your team (2 – 5 people) can apply until 15th December 2020 (11:59pm EAT) via the application form. Your idea can refer to one of the 6 Areas of Action or propose a new Area of Action themselves and can be submitted at any stage of development – whether you are at the idea stage or have already developed and rolled out a plan.
*We highly encourage women or people belonging to minority groups to apply.
Design Sprint
After the Call for Ideas 10 teams get pre-selected to join the 3-Day Design Sprint. You will work together with trained coaches for 3 intensive days (in January) to develop, refine and redesign your idea, solution or approach.
Pitch Event
At the Pitch Event (in February) the 10 teams present their ideas, solutions and projects. Based on common selection criteria, the jury selects 4 winning teams which will receive the grant and further support in terms of a 6-month Mentorship Program.
Mentorship Program
In the following 6 months after the Pitch Event, experienced mentors will support the 4 winning teams according to their specific needs.
6 Areas of Action
The 6 Areas of Action show the thematic areas in human rights work in Uganda in which there is a high demand for innovative digital solutions, approaches and ideas. Your idea doesn’t fit to one of the 6 Areas of Action? You can still apply for the Innovation Program and propose a new Area of Action within the application form.
Are you working on the challenge of access to technology, stable networks and the Internet in the most remote regions of Uganda? Do you want to ensure that women or people belonging to minority groups are equally able to live digital participation? If your idea, solution or approach revolves around Digital Inclusion, this is your Area of Action.
Do you look at systems from the meta-level and want to develop cross-cutting solutions that contribute to more effective human rights work? Have you found an approach on how to develop sustainable training opportunities and financing models? Digital ideas, solutions and approaches aimed at Capacity Building fall within this Area of Action.
Are you working on a digital solution to streamline reporting structures of human rights violations? Or do you have an idea or approach that will enable Human Rights Defenders to exercise their right of assembly and association without hesitation? Everything around Safety, Security and Privacy, on- and offline falls into this Area of Action.
Are you taking up the challenge of creating digital solutions for e.g. better networking and more effective communication between Human Rights Defenders? Or did you find an innovative and easy way for Human Rights Defenders to disseminate information on? This Area of Action is all about Knowledge Sharing & Collaborative Learning among Human Rights Defenders.
Are you taking up a challenge that affects the physical and mental health of Human Rights Defenders? A digital solution to improve the physical protection of Human Rights Defenders at demonstrations or a digital socio-psychological support service for Human Rights Defenders are only two ideas that could fall into this category. What is your idea?
Are you working on a solution that will make it easier for Human Rights Defenders to disseminate information through traditional media channels? Or do you already have an idea or approach to preserve the freedom of expression of bloggers in social media? If you want to overcome challenges regarding Media On/Offline, this is your Area of Action.
Questions?
Do you have any questions, suggestions or need further information about the Innovation Program?
Please feel free to send us an e-mail: innovationprogram@dhrlab.org.
Apply with your team until 15.12.2020.
For more information, go to: https://www.digitalhumanrightslab.org/innovation-program
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