Description of the Program
The Rapid Online Support and Assistance (ROSA) Global mechanism is a first-of-its-kind rapid response tool developed by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), pirth.org, and Freedom House with support from the U.S. State Department Secretary’s Office of Global Women's Issues. ROSA Global is designed to provide emergency support to women in politics and public life experiencing online abuse, harassment, hate speech, threats, and other violence. ROSA Global connects survivors of online violence with local resources using vetted networks of service providers, including mental health and psychosocial support, shelters, and legal representation. In some cases, this may include short-term, emergency financial assistance. The online reporting tool will also assist survivors in documenting the abuse, monitoring accounts for incoming threats, and reporting to social media platforms.
About NDI
The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. Since its founding in 1983, NDI has worked with local partners in 156 countries and territories, bringing together individuals and groups to share ideas, knowledge, experiences and expertise. Partners receive broad exposure to best practices in international democratic development that can be adapted to the needs of their own countries. NDI’s multinational approach reinforces the message that while there is no single democratic model, certain core principles are shared by all democracies.
About pirth.org
Pirth.org is the first-of-its-kind global resource and reporting platform dedicated to addressing online violence and advancing online safety. Founded in 2023 and launched in 2024, pirth.org is an independent Danish-American civil society organization focused on supporting at-risk individuals and survivors of online violence, intaking and evaluating user-reported threats and harm received on social media, escalating user reports for accountability purposes, elucidating the overall landscape of online safety and security, and advocating for evidence-based systemic solutions – all with trust and transparency.
About Freedom House
Freedom House was founded in 1941 to rally policymakers and a broadly isolationist American public during World War II, and to raise awareness of the fascist threat to American security and values. In the decades since, Freedom House has established itself through its advocacy, programs, and research as the leading American organization devoted to the support and defense of democracy around the world. Freedom House works across political divides to advance policies that strengthen democracy and protect human rights. They support a vast, trusted network of activists and advocates who are leading the struggle for democratic change in their countries. Freedom House is a leading provider of emergency financial assistance to at-risk human rights defenders globally.
Links to Media Coverage
- NDI Rapid Online Support for Women in Politics
- Fact Sheet: The U.S. Government, Partners Reach Over $900 Million in Commitments to Women LEAD – an Initiative to Advance Women’s Political Participation – Including New State Department Fund to Address Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence