Human Rights Documentation and Reporting Tools Criteria

In OTF’s early years, the program provided direct support to Martus. However, since that time, we’ve narrowed our investments to focus on improving the security and usability of existing human rights documentation tools. This is due to the fact that a broad landscape of funders focused on advancing efforts to document human rights abuses worldwide already exists.

Given that human rights documentation represents some of the most sensitive information being transmitted by individuals, the two focus areas that define OTF’s remit with greatest relevance are:

• Privacy enhancement, including the ability to be free from repressive observation and the option to be anonymous when accessing the internet; and

• Security from danger or threat when accessing the internet, including encryption tools.

When applying for OTF support, applicants with projects related to human rights documentation and reporting tools should focus on one or more of the following:

• Improving a platform’s privacy and security, such as through security audits or integrating encryption protocols or tools.

• Enhancing the usability of such tools, such as through usability assessments that include concrete recommendations for how to make the tool more usable.

• Addressing feedback received directly from users in the field, such as through feature additions or modifications that improve functionality while upholding users’ security and privacy.