Human rights software: information support solutions for social justice

Human rights centres and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have crucial information support needs, many of which can be met by the existing and ongoing development of information technology software applications. For communication and Internet use, the psiphon program allows for secure and anonymous information exchange and distribution, including firewall circumvention. For data collection, organization, encryption, and storage, Martus software can be deployed to help protect sensitive information and identities. Based on documented projects and websites, the following research examines these emancipatory tools to determine: the technologies in use, emergent, and under development; their possible usage in the critical arenas under discussion; and, the greater effects of these technologies as they relate to social justice and information access in the global information society. The purpose is to raise awareness within human rights communities and information centres about the existence and availability of these tools, so that these groups may find appropriate and accessible solutions that match their information support needs. Further, it is hoped that the information presented here will generate open, intercultural, and international discussions of human rights policy development, strategic planning, and implementation.