Surveillance state: How protesters are being watched

Protest is a fundamental right, but around the world, it’s increasingly under surveillance. In this episode of CIVICUS Voices, we examine how governments are using facial recognition, geolocation tracking, and social media monitoring to watch, intimidate, and silence dissent. From Hong Kong to South Africa, the UK to Iran, surveillance technologies are reshaping the risks of protest and threatening civil liberties. What happens when the tools of repression become digital? And how can activists protect themselves in an era of biometric policing and mass data collection?GuestsDr. Ilia Siatitsa, Programme Director and Senior Legal Officer at Privacy International, expert in global surveillance law and protest rightsMichael Mo, Hong Kong activist in exile and founder of Hong Kong Scouts, a youth-focused pro-democracy organisation

Music has long been a powerful tool for protest and today, it’s helping mobilise movements for social and climate justice around the world. In this episode of CIVICUS Voices, we explore how artists and fans are using sound, rhythm, and digital platforms to challenge injustice and inspire action. From Puerto Rico’s bomba traditions to South Korea’s K pop, music is amplifying resistance and connecting communities across borders. How does music help us heal, organise, and push back against colonialism, inequality, and environmental destruction?Guests:Camille Alexandra Padilla Dalmau, Co-Founder of 9 Millones, independent journalist and creator of protest music from Puerto RicoReiland Rabaka, Director of the Center for African and African American Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, expert in hip hop, social justice, and the African diasporaBenjamin Whitehair, Executive Director of Calling All Crows, an organization that mobilizes the music community to address gender-based inequities and social justice issuesYou can find CIVICUS online and on X/Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. CIVICUS Voices is hosted by Ester Pinheiro and the CIVICUS Team.

Disability rights laws promise inclusion, but lived experiences tell a different story. In this episode of CIVICUS Voices, we explore the fight for disability justice in India and Nigeria, where activists are challenging exclusion, stigma, and broken promises. Despite progressive laws, people with disabilities continue to face inaccessible infrastructure, digital divides, and systemic discrimination. How are disabled activists mobilising in hostile environments? What does dissent look like when public spaces and digital platforms remain out of reach? And why must lived experience be at the heart of disability rights movements?GuestsArman Ali, Executive Director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), IndiaOluwabukolami Omolara Badmus (Bukola), Disability Rights Activist, Disability Justice Project Fellow, and Feminist, NigeriaYou can find CIVICUS online and on X/Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. CIVICUS Voices is hosted by Ester Pinheiro and the CIVICUS Team.

Behind the glossy storefronts and online sales of fast fashion lies a brutal reality: many garment workers face exploitation, repression, and unsafe conditions. In this episode of CIVICUS Voices, we uncover the human cost of fashion in Cambodia and Bangladesh, where workers, many of them women, are rising up against poverty wages, union-busting, and violent crackdowns. What does it take to demand fair pay and dignity in an industry built on speed and profit? And why are governments and corporations still failing to protect the rights of those who make our clothes?Guests:Kalpona Akter, Labor Rights Activist and former garment worker, BangladeshAruna Kashyap, Associate Director, Economic Justice and Rights Division, Human Rights WatchTola Moeun, Executive Director, Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights, CambodiaIneke Zeldenrust, International Coordinator, Clean Clothes Campaign

Housing is more than shelter, it’s a human right. In this episode of CIVICUS Voices, we explore the global housing crisis through the lens of protest and resistance. From mass evictions in Brazil to anti-tourism marches in Spain, communities are rising up to reclaim their cities and demand dignified, affordable housing. What’s fueling displacement in places like Barcelona and São Paulo? How are financial markets, tourism, and government inaction contributing to the crisis? And what does it mean to truly recognise housing as a human right?Guests:Leilani Farha, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing and Global Director of The ShiftSimone Gatti, Executive Director of Fundo Fica, a nonprofit advocating for housing rights and public policy reform in São Paulo, BrazilCIVICUS Voices is hosted by Ester Pinheiro and the CIVICUS Team.

Electricity is a basic need, but for many, it’s a daily struggle. In this episode of CIVICUS Voices, we examine how energy protests in South Africa and Puerto Rico have become powerful expressions of resistance against inequality, corruption, and environmental injustice. What happens when governments fail to deliver reliable power? And how are communities organising to demand energy access?Guests:Yegeshni Moodley, Climate and Energy Senior Campaigner at Ground Work, South AfricaSelena Feliciano, National Campaign Coordinator at Energy Democracy Project, Puerto RicoRuth Santiago, Environmental and Community Lawyer, Salinas, Puerto RicoCIVICUS Voices is hosted by Ester Pinheiro and the CIVICUS Team.

Summary  Doctors, the backbone of any healthcare system, are often at the forefront of advocating for change. In this podcast episode, we delve into recent and ongoing doctors’ protests and medical crisis in Kenya, and the UK. Why are doctors protesting? Are there any ethical implications for protesting and striking? What governments need to prioritize to respond to their grievances? Guests Steve Ougo, Sexual and Reproductive Justice Activist, medical student working in youth health in KenyaSridhar Venkatapuram, Senior Lecturer in Global Health and Philosophy at King’s College London. He sits on the ethics committee of the British Medical Association (BMA)

Summary From the rise of social media to the advent of Artificial Intelligence, these technologies have revolutionized how protest movements are organized and how voices are heard. Yet, with increased surveillance and stricter laws, the digital battleground is complex. This episode covers how the digital realm has opened up new frontiers for activism: what are the opportunities and challenges for the future of protest? Guests: Clement Voule, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Kumi Naidoo, prominent South African human rights and environmental justice activist. Former head of Amnesty, Greenpeace and CIVICUS

Summary Do you know what is the difference between protests and riots? In this episode, we delve into two examples of antidemocratic riots in the Brazilian Supreme Court in 2023 and the Capitol in the US in 2021, to explain how they differ from peaceful protests. As 2024 is the biggest election year so far, at least 65 countries will go to the polls, political results unsatisfaction can lead to riots. GuestsRoudabeh Kishi, the Chief Research Officer at the BDI - Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University. Leticia Cesarino, Brazilian researcher in Anthropology and author of the book ‘The world inside out: Truth and politics in the digital age’.

Summary This episode delves into the complexities of protesting in countries where drug trafficking significantly impacts governance and civil liberties, as Honduras and Ecuador. In a number of countries across Latin America, the entanglement of political instability and narcotic economies often results in precarious conditions for activists. States embroiled in battles against drug cartels face a dual challenge: maintaining public order and respecting the right to protest. Allegations of corruption at the highest levels can intensify public outcry, as seen when officials are implicated in drug and arms trafficking. So, how are citizens managing to protest amidst drug cartel state circumstances in Honduras and Ecuador? Guests Silvana Tapia, lawyer, doctor in socio-legal studies at the University of Birmingham. Her current project employs a feminist, anti-colonial, socio-legal approach. Nohelia Núñez, lawyer from Honduras who works with several women led organizations in the country as CLADEM.