Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO)

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Woman stands with her fist raised

A NEW RESEARCH PROJECT

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand is undertaking a research project on decentralised and distributed technology using blockchain tools, to understand how they may amplify supporter engagement within the worldwide movement and provide a novel form of incentivisation for positive human rights advocacy and action taking. This research is led by the Aotearoa New Zealand office.

The resulting from the first stage of research looks at member and public engagement in Amnesty International through the lens of digital democracy and innovation, and proposes a use of transformational technology to revitalise the role of the Amnesty participant, through decentralised decision-making and governance rights, capacity building and the incentivisation of positive action taking.

At a crucial time in organisational evolution, it is proposed that Amnesty offers new ways for supporters to engage and the public to join the movement through a decentralised structure with distributed intelligence. The main emerging technology we interrogate is blockchain. We firstly look at some high-level considerations, and then how they merge with various aspects of blockchain technology, and also the concept of a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO).

MOVING INTO STAGE TWO OF THE RESEARCH

We have received support from Cardano Blockchain's Project Catalyst eco system to develop a DAO mvp and human rights token in 2025.

OUR VISION FOR THIS INNOVATIVE PROJECT

Record the Unforgettable

Implement an immutable ledger to capture and preserve every human rights micro-engagement, providing an invaluable historical record.

Amplify Voices

Create a platform where our supporters, the public and institutions can collaboratively shape the discourse on Human Rights, infusing it with diverse perspectives, including those of Indigenous groups and other allies.

Illuminate Transparency

Bolster transparency in our advocacy operations ensuring trust in the process.

Empower Decision-making

Utilise blockchain to enhance decision-making processes, ensuring inclusivity and facilitating governance.

Encourage Participation

Drive widespread participation and encode incentive mechanisms, transforming passive supporters into active advocates for human rights.

DISCOVER MORE ON OUR RESEARCH

Initial DAO Research

Project Catalyst DAO and Human Rights Token whitepaper

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©Gareth Farry (L) and Razali Samsudin (R)

THE TEAM

Project Lead - Gareth Farry

Gareth is the Partnerships and Special Projects Manager at Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand. Gareth is a creative producer and technologist working on innovative and disruptive technology solutions for supporter coordination and the incentivisation of human rights advocacy. He focuses on cultural leadership, technology and equitable value add. 

Project Tech Lead - Razali Samsudin

Razali is an experienced educator, and independent researcher with 20 years of experience working in education, sustainability and impact fields in a wide range of roles and projects that explore the interplay of pedagogy, gamification, blockchain, sustainability, decentralisation, A.I., data, privacy and disruptive innovation, while guided by the vision of seeking to bring about an equitable world for all.

PROJECT TIMELINE

Q2-3 2024: Initial Research Phase

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Q4 2024: Project Catalyst application successful

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Q1-2 2025: Project Catalyst research, building and development begins

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Q3 2025: Community consultations across Amnesty International chapters and allied civil society organisations

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Q4 2025 - DAO sandbox live testing and refinement. Summary report and next phases for building towards public deployment in 2026. 

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For more information or to contribute to the research please reach out to Gareth.

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