For over 43 years, HURIDOCS has been a pillar of the International Geneva ecosystem, supporting human rights defenders with the tools, methodologies and digital solutions they need to document violations, advocate for justice, and hold perpetrators accountable. Our origin stems from a pressing need: to standardise and strengthen the information shared with change makers such as UN mechanisms and international justice actors so that civil society voices are clearly heard and acted upon.
Over the decades, our work has expanded beyond documentation practices to include the development of bespoke, open-source technology based on our documentation methodologies and designed specifically for civil society. Our mission remains focused: to ensure that defenders and organisations worldwide can collect, preserve, and share human rights data securely and effectively with each other, with the United Nations, with governments, and with other key stakeholders driving change.
Building infrastructure for justice
At the core of our work is Uwazi, our flagship open-source platform. Uwazi embeds robust documentation methodologies while integrating advanced technologies like machine learning to automate data entry, enhance search capabilities, and extract key insights from complex archives.
These tools don’t just make life easier—they support and accelerate human rights investigations and transitional justice processes. By making information more accessible and actionable, we empower human rights defenders and activists to respond quickly and strategically. At the same time, we reduce their reliance on Big Tech platforms that are often vulnerable to censorship, surveillance, or unilateral political decisions.
We’ve seen firsthand how precarious it is to depend on U.S.-based digital infrastructure. The recent loss of services by institutions like the International Criminal Court due to political sanctions shows how easily essential tools can be disrupted. That’s why we build and maintain an independent, European-hosted digital tool designed with privacy protection, system resilience, and civil society sovereignty at its heart.
This isn’t just a technical matter. It’s a critical component of ensuring the future viability of the global human rights movement.
We are human rights activists first
At HURIDOCS, we are not just software developers or technologists. Our roots are in the human rights community and we are human rights activists. Every line of code we write, every system we build, is grounded in the lived realities of defenders facing political repression, surveillance, and violence. Our approach is deeply collaborative, shaped by decades of working alongside grassroots organisations, international NGOs, and global advocacy networks.
Technology is our tool but justice is our purpose.
We build digital infrastructure because it enables movements to stand stronger, speak louder, and act faster. We don’t follow the latest tech trends for their own sake; we innovate on the frontlines of accountability, transparency, and human dignity.
Our role in the community
HURIDOCS is a trusted, behind-the-scenes ally for hundreds of organisations working for justice in every region of the world. From Geneva to Nairobi, from Bogotá to Bangkok, our tools and expertise support civil society’s capacity to document truth, demand accountability, and create systemic change.
Our work may be technical and under-the-radar—but it is essential. Documentation. Databases. Methodologies. These are the foundations upon which a strong, credible civil society is built.
We support others. We enable others. We elevate others.
Support us in our mission to support others.
Donate today or contact us for more information on how we can elevate your team to document the truth for positive change.