As 2024 drew to a close, Asia Centre along with its partners, the Hadomi Timor Foundations and Timorese Association for Progressive Media and Technology, delivered the Google-supported digital security training to over 100 high-risk users in Dili, Timor-Leste.
On 17th December 2024, Asia Centre introduced online tools that can safeguard internet user data to 80 participants from the local civil society organisations. This training session, convened with the Hadomi Timor Foundation (Fundasaun Hadomi Timor) and the Institute of Business, was delivered by the Asia Centre’s Regional Director, Dr. James Gomez, and Partnership Manager, Kartini Sunityo.
Three key aspects were conveyed during this training session: building cybersecurity awareness, protecting personal data and privacy, and enhancing digital resilience against disinformation attended the session. The idea behind the training was these 80 participants who attended and completed the training will then pass on their knowledge and skills by training other members in their respective organisations.
Before the training began, Dr. Gomez was invited to participate in a panel discussion on the Internet Infrastructure Development for Social and Economic Transformation in Timor-Leste. Speakers from the government and private sector provided valuable information on how the development of internet infrastructure can aid in Timor-Leste’s social and economic transformation, while Dr. Gomez highlighted the digital security challenges that will arise from the development.
Following the panel discussion, Asia Centre and the Hadmor Timor Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalise the partnership between the two organisations. The partnership will focus on key areas such as producing research reports on shrinking civil spaces and online gender based violence, and efforts to improve media literacy and digital security for vulnerable communities in Timor- Leste.
On 19th December 2024, a second training session was conducted in collaboration with both the Timorese Association for Progressive Media and Technology (ITP NetLibre Timor-Leste) and the International Centre for Not-for-profit Law (ICNL) at the Oriental Foundation (Fundacao Oriente) in Dili, Timor-Leste.
The session was attended by 25 participants who are activists and representatives from local civil society organizations (CSOs) who were interested in deepening their knowledge on digital security and digital rights.
Before the training, as was the custom in Timor-Leste, together with guest speaker Miss Eliziaria Febe Gomes, Dr. James Gomez, in a panel discussion, shared his insights on digitization and the effects of internet repression on civic-political and economic rights in the Southeast Asian region before commencing the training.
Both partners and participants in Timor-Leste expressed interest in receiving more training sessions in 2025. Asia Centre plans to roll out Phase 2 of the Digital Security Training programme in partnership with Google.
If you are interested in collaborating with the Centre on this training, please send an expression of interest here or send an email to media@asiacentre.my.