Videre works in some of the world’s most hostile environments, equipping local activists with the technology and training to capture compelling visual evidence of the human rights violations suffered by their communities. We then put this evidence in the hands of those that can secure accountability and justice, including courts, policymakers, and the media, forcing perpetrators to answer for their actions.
Human rights violations, including political intimidation, occur unremarked in remote and impoverished communities.
Videre trains and supports defenders in safe and effective use of technology to gather evidence.
Oren Yakobovich’s mission is to bring violations to light and perpetrators to justice.
Videre releases evidence strategically to facilitate justice and deter future abuse.
Human rights abuses can no longer be carried out with impunity. Citizens are able to express dissent and challenge disinformation. Abusers are held accountable for their actions and potential abusers are deterred by the knowledge that their actions may be documented and made known to the world.
Media outlets, advocacy organizations, courts, governments, and international organizations have the ability and knowledge to use local information and intelligence to detect, prevent, and stop human rights abuses and promote equality. Frontline communities have the tools and the means to securely hold leaders accountable.
Founder & CEO at Kamara Global Group / President at Videre Est Credere, Kamara Global Group
Oren Yakobovich, Co-Founder and CEO of Videre, has been working at the intersection of human rights and filmmaking for more than 25 years. A social entrepreneur and Ashoka Fellow, he is a leading voice on the use of visual information to create sustainable change in areas of conflict. Joining the Israeli army at 18 and rising through the ranks, Oren later became disillusioned by the realities of military service and was jailed for refusing to serve in the West Bank. Upon release from prison, he joined the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem and developed ‘Shooting Back,’ a still-thriving video documentation project that has trained hundreds of Palestinians to use cameras to expose the abuses they face. In 2008, he co-founded Videre, and under his leadership the organisation has become a leading innovator in the use of technology to expose human rights violations in hard-to-access areas. Oren also serves on the International Criminal Court’s Technology Advisory Council.
Operating discreetly is one of the most effective forms of protection we can provide our teams. Public disclosure of where and how we operate would place our teams at substantial personal risk, and could result in greater surveillance of all residents in the communities where our teams engage. Therefore our public profile is deliberately limited; we do not take public credit for our work and do not publicize the countries where we work. This can make presenting out impact difficult, however, we can say that, for well over a decade, Videre has helped persecuted and marginalized communities document, verify, and expose the abuses they face and secure meaningful change. Since 2008, we have:
Documented live violations during a genocide and distributed them in real time to the world’s media, catalyzing an international response.
Countered official government narratives with proof of systematic abuse.
Shifted public perception on rampant everyday corruption.
Led the prosecution of politicians for hate speech
Reduced levels of electoral violence.
Secured the suspension of high- and low-ranking public officials for street-level corruption, extortion, and brutalization of impoverished communities.
