WITNESS and Dropbox Foundation Join Hands for Human Rights
WITNESS is pleased to announce its partnership with the new Dropbox Foundation. Predicated on a commitment to unrestricted grant-making, the Dropbox Foundation has awarded WITNESS one of the inaugural gifts. In addition, the partnership provides WITNESS with skills-based volunteering, expertise, and capacity support from Dropbox employees around the world.
The Dropbox Foundation is the latest partner to sign on to supporting and investing in WITNESS’ ambitious plan to scale our impact and enable millions of more people to use video and technology to protect and defend human rights. WITNESS’ global team will build capacity with marginalized communities in five key regions, expand our reach worldwide with vital guidance and resources, and anticipate and experiment with new technologies that can strengthen advocacy for human rights.
Their investment will also support WITNESS’ work in “tech + advocacy.” Our innovative program translates the realities of human rights defenders on the ground into concrete recommendations for Silicon Valley to improve tools, guidance, and policies—as well as the development of our own tech tools and best practices for activists. We not only bring these specific, real-life user experiences to companies, but also advocate around broad issues that affect hundreds of millions of people. In an effort to make tech platforms truly work for human rights, we amplify the needs of individual advocates and the sector at large.
The Dropbox Foundation’s decision to invest in human rights comes at a time of great challenge, coupled with great opportunity. In the United States and around the world, there are mounting threats to civil and economic rights, as well as increased surveillance, criminalization, and violence against vulnerable communities. And while the polarization of global inequality invigorates many to fight even harder for justice and protect human rights – this environment also puts human rights defenders at increased risk.
WITNESS’ 25-year history demonstrates that video and technology have the power to make abuses visible, expose longstanding patterns of abuse, serve as evidence to drive accountability, counter hateful narratives, and amplify civic media. The Dropbox Foundation’s support will help WITNESS achieve our mission to help millions of people worldwide turning to video and technology create human rights change.