View source for Videre

{{Short description|UK human rights organization}}
{{POV|date=August 2023}}
'''Videre est Credere''' ('''Videre''') is a [[human rights organization]] that equips oppressed communities in hard-to-access areas with cameras, technology, and training to safely and effectively collect [[video evidence]] to expose violence, human rights violations, and other systemic abuses. The organization's name means "to see is to believe" in Latin. It is registered as a charitable organization in London, England.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Anderton|first1=Ed|title=Opening Eyes|url=http://socialtech.org.uk/blog/opening-eyes/|website=Social Tech Guide|publisher=Nominet Trust|access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Charity Overview|url=http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1130375&SubsidiaryNumber=0|website=UK Charity Commission|access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref> Videre has trained over 500 activists since its founding in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cardoso|first1=Christine|title=Ex-soldado troca arma por câmera para defender direitos humanos|url=http://g1.globo.com/tecnologia/ted-global/2014/noticia/2014/10/ex-soldado-troca-arma-por-camera-para-defender-direitos-humanos.html|access-date=13 November 2014|work=Globo|date=10 August 2014}}</ref>
== Methodology ==
Videre est Credere (Videre) works in some of the world's most oppressive societies and situations.<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/a5ba6ab8-aa01-11e3-8bd6-00144feab7de Financial Times, Emma Jacobs, The sacrifice for secret footage,13 March 2014]</ref> It creates a global network of activists able to film and document the abuses and human rights violations of violent regimes.<ref name="wired1">{{cite news|last1=James Smith|first1=David|title=Videre: the secretive group on a mission to film human rights abuses|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/09/features/videre|access-date=13 November 2014|work=Wired UK|issue=September 2013|publisher=Conde Nast}}</ref> Videre employs a four-part methodology in its work:
* Engage local communities: Videre works with local communities and activists in hard-to-reach places to determine which visuals are not being shown.
* Equip and train local activists: It provides activists with cameras—including hidden cameras when necessary—and extensive security training to film violations in a safe way.<ref>{{cite web|last1=de Souza|first1=Mariella|title=London's Top Tech for Social Good|url=http://techcitynews.com/2013/08/15/londons-top-tech-for-social-good/|publisher=Tech City News|access-date=14 November 2014}}</ref>
* Verify the images: Videre verifies the footage that its activists capture via multiple means.
* Distribute strategically: Videre works to understand the situation on the ground; who influences the situation; and which avenues of distribution will achieve the change that the local communities want to see.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McClure|first1=Laura|title=Undercover human rights recording: Oren Yakobovich at TEDGlobal 2014|url=http://blog.ted.com/2014/10/08/undercover-human-rights-recording-oren-yakobovich-at-tedglobal-2014/|website=TEDBlog|publisher=TED|access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref>
The organization rarely takes public credit for its work, but its footage has been published in a variety of media outlets; shown to policymakers; formed the basis for NGO advocacy work; and used as evidence in courts.<ref name="wired1" /> Its footage is processed, categorised and stored in an electronic archive that allows Videre to use the footage in both short-term and long-term.
The organisation uses a number of tools used by commercial or intelligence organisations, including [[social network analysis]] software.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fmsasg.com/Solutions/investigations/human-rights-videos.html|title=FMS's Sentinel Visualizer Link Analysis Software Assists Videre Est Credere to Expose Human Rights Violations|work=fmsasg.com|access-date=24 August 2015}}</ref> It also claims to use a number of techniques unusual to the NGO industry such as "data storage and communication encryption to counter-surveillance."<ref name="videreonline">{{cite web|url=http://www.videreonline.org/|title=Videre Est Credere - Charity Organisation for Human Rights Issues and Human Rights Abuse|work=org.|access-date=24 August 2015}}</ref>
== History ==
Videre was founded by CEO Oren Yakobovich and Board Chairman [[Uri Fruchtmann]] in 2008. Fruchtmann, the former husband of [[Annie Lennox]] and a successful filmmaker, had the idea of giving old video equipment to human rights defenders. People told him he should talk to Yakobovich.<ref name="wired1" /> Yakobovich was leading the Camera Documentation Project at the Israeli human rights organization [[B'Tselem]] at the time and had the idea to take the idea behind the project global.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Goodman|first1=Amy|title=Shooting Back: The Israeli Human Rights Group B’Tselem Gives Palestinians Video Cameras to Document Life Under Occupation.|url=http://www.democracynow.org/2007/12/26/shooting_back_the_israeli_human_rights|access-date=13 November 2014|work=Democracy Now|date=26 December 2007}}</ref> The two partnered to establish Videre.
== People ==
[[Brian Eno]] is Videre's patron. Uri Fruchtmann, [[John Sauven]], Katy Cronin, Fiona Napier and [[Terry Gilliam]] serve on its board of trustees. The organization is run by CEO Oren Yakobovich. In 2014, Yakobovich was named an [[Ashoka]] Fellow.<ref>{{cite web|title=Introducing Oren Yakobovich, Fellow of the Month|url=http://uk.ashoka.org/introducing-oren-yakobovich-fellow-month|website=uk.ashoka.org|publisher=Ashoka}}</ref> Videre does not identify its current staff members but former staff are known to include: Nizan Weisman (who helped set up the organization and its governance, served as Board of Directors member between the years 2008-2012, leading all financial issues, was Senior Partner in BDO Consulting], Eitan Diamond (who helped set up the organisation and was Executive Director of Gisha - Legal Centre for the Movement of People<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gisha.org/about/staff|title=Gisha Staff - Gisha|work=gisha.org|access-date=24 August 2015}}</ref>), Rory Byrne (the former Head of Security and Research and now CEO and co-founder of [[Security First]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cies.ie/the-cies-interviews-rory-byrne|title=The CIES interviews Rory Byrne|work=cies.ie|access-date=24 August 2015}}</ref>  Holly Kilroy (the former Head of Development and now Head of Development and co-founder of Security First),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secfirst.org/|title=Security First - Home|website=secfirst.org|access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref> and Liviu Babbitz, (former Head of Operations and founder of CyborgNest.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cyborgnest.net|title=Cyborg Nest|website=Cyborg Nest|access-date=2016-06-04}}</ref>
== Budget ==
According to the UK Charity Commission, the organization had an expenditure of £908,371 and income of £901,728 in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/PrintReport.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1130375&ReportType=COLOUR|title=Date of report : 24 August 2015|work=charitycommission.gov.uk|access-date=24 August 2015}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.videreonline.org/ Official website]
[[Category:2008 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Charities based in London]]
[[Category:Human rights organisations based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2008]]