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DRAPAC Workshop Discussion: Risk Assessment and Resource Sharing to Protect CSOs and HRDs from Tech-Facilitated Abuse Threats

August 28 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Kuala Lumpur, 28 August 2025 – On the third day of the Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly 2025 (DRAPAC25), INITIATE.MY, in collaboration with APCOM Foundation, World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS), and Cloudflare, co-organised a capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening the ability of civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights defenders (HRDs) to navigate digital and physical threats. The session focused on advancing civic space, digital rights, and community resilience across the region. The session aimed to:

1. Build the capacity of CSOs and HRDs to identify and respond to intersecting digital and physical threats;
2. Share expert strategies and grassroots approaches for improving security and resilience;
3. Facilitate practical learning tailored to real-world contexts and risk environments.

Workshop Session

The workshop opened with a 40-minute breakout session to help participants rapidly assess threats and vulnerabilities. Participants were divided into two groups and tasked with:

1. Identifying their top three risks using a risk likelihood-impact matrix;
2. Developing a short action plan with assigned responsibilities and deadlines;
3. Mapping internal and external resources relevant to their security context.

Facilitators guided the groups through mapping:

1. Assets (people, data, devices);
2. Threats (both digital and physical);
3. Response actions across three core dimensions: people (roles, responsibilities, training), processes (SOPs, incident response protocols), and technology (multi-factor authentication, data backups).

This hands-on approach was designed to equip participants with tangible, context-specific strategies for improving protection and resilience in their respective organisations.

Sharing Session

Following the group exercise, a sharing session on available resources to address these risks by diverse practitioners across digital rights, security, and civic engagement sectors. Key highlights included:

1. A presentation on the Dash Chat project, a resilient messaging platform designed for high-risk contexts facing internet shutdowns and surveillance, particularly in under-connected regions.
2. A global overview of civic space trends, with emphasis on Asia-specific digital threats and the introduction of a crisis response fund offering emergency grants for digital protection and advocacy.
3. A focus on resources available forcollective protection and solidarity of LGBT HRDs from tech-facilitated abuse such as Shelter City, Digital Defender Partnership, AccessNow, IPPF+Front Line Defenders, and ProtectDefender.eu.
4. A pro bono cybersecurity initiative providing DDoS protection and technical support for at-risk organisations, empowering CSOs and HRDs with access to professional-grade tools.

The session concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to integrating digital and physical security into their organisational practices. The workshop’s blend of expert insight, peer learning, and practical facilitation ensured that attendees left with both heightened awareness and actionable strategies.

This initiative under DRAPAC25 underscored the critical importance of cross-sector collaboration, innovation, and regional solidarity in protecting civic space and advancing digital rights across the Asia-Pacific.