"Considerable attention has been focused on the opportunities presented by new information and communication technologies for development (“ICT4D”) and for government (“ICT4GOV”). The purpose of this report is to analyze their impact on human rights (“ICT4HR”). As Philip Alston, the former Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, explained in a report to the General Assembly: “New technologies offer a great many potential solutions to some of [the] problems [in human rights fact-inding], and offer signiicant improvements in existing factinding methodologies.” He notes, however, that there has been “[l]ittle sustained work . . . by the human rights community as a whole to apply existing technologies or to study their potential uses and problems.” This report aims to remedy that gap. Using case studies largely from three countries, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Dominican Republic, the report considers both the opportunities and risks presented by new technologies for human rights. The report concludes there are beneits that can be realized through the deployment of new technologies in human rights projects. New technologies offer the potential to reduce the cost of collecting information about human rights issues and to increase participation in human rights advocacy efforts. Each of these possible beneits, however, gives rise to new risks and challenges. Although new technologies can reduce the cost of information gathering, it can be dificult to ensure the accuracy of the information generated, and the associated volume can make it challenging and expensive to identify relevant data. There is also no guarantee that increased participation or information will be translated into action or concrete outcomes for the community." (Executive summary)
I. BACKGROUND, 3
II. CASE STUDIES, 7
Uchaguzi (Kenya) -- Uwiano (Kenya) -- Map Kibera (Kenya) -- Sisi Ni Amani ("We Are Peace") (Kenya) -- Voix des Kivus (DRC) -- Piga Simu (DRC) -- Amnesty International Science for Human Rights Program (Int'l) -- AAAS Remote Sensing (DRC) -- ICT4GOV - South Kivu (DRC) -- Educación Digna (Dominican Republic) -- Dominicana Contaminada (Dominican Republic) -- Medic Mobile (Int'l)
III. ICTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, 13
Supporting the Implementation of Rights -- Enforcing Rights -- Social Accountability
IV. HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES, 21
Accuracy -- Security -- Inequality -- Response
V. RECOMMENDATIONS, 33