Scroll. Click. Suffer: The Hidden Human Cost of Content Moderation and Data Labelling

Launched on May 28, 2025, ‘Scroll. Click. Suffer.’ is Equidem’s in-depth investigation into the hidden workforce behind AI and social media—data labellers and content moderators. Based on interviews with 113 workers across Colombia, Kenya, and the Philippines, the report exposes the extreme occupational, psychological, sexual, and economic harms faced by those moderating violent content and…

Shattered Dreams, Hidden Trauma

The Systemic Abuse of East African Care Workers in the Gulf This briefing paper documents first-hand accounts of East African care workers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE,) exposing the systemic cycles of abuse they endure. It also sets out clear recommendations for governments, businesses, and investors to ensure these essential workers…

Rush to renewables: Toward migrant worker rights and a just energy transition in the Gulf

No region is immune to the reality of the climate crisis: extreme weather events, mass climate-induced migration, and direct consequences for the cultures, livelihoods, and lives of workers and communities In response, even the world’s most notorious petrostates have rightly joined the global effort to avert climate catastrophe Between 2013 and 2022, the Gulf Cooperation…

Climate Change In The World Of Work: Violence at The Systemic Edge

A systemic edge is a site where general conditions take extreme forms. Climate-impacted workers are at a systemic edge: they are pushed out of their livelihoods and their homes and enter employment far below decent work standards. This research brief compiles the experiences of 700 climate impacted workers from Asia and Africa who find employment…

Areas of focus

Climate

Gender

End Exploitation

Corporate Accountability

Survivor Leadership

Latest News & Blogs

Workers taken abroad on visit visas in a vortex of exploitation and challenges (Online Khabar)

Workers taken abroad on visit visas in a vortex of exploitation and challenges (Online Khabar)

Published on: August 19, 2025 Published in: Online Khabar Written by : Rameshwar Nepal, Equidem View Publication Thousands of Nepalis are taken abroad on visitor visas in order to work without obtaining labour approval from the government. This puts workers in incredibly dangerous situations, vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Agents and organized groups are facilitating…

A Global Call to Action: For Democracy that Delivers Peace and Prosperity for All

A Global Call to Action: For Democracy that Delivers Peace and Prosperity for All

For Democracy that Delivers Peace and Prosperity for All As we approach the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we, the undersigned organisations, call on governments and international institutions to reaffirm their commitment to a world free from nuclear weapons, honouring the demand of the hibakusha and 2024 Nobel Peace laureate…

Climate Change In The World Of Work: Violence at The Systemic Edge

Explore Equidem’s groundbreaking report on the intersection of climate change and labor rights. This brief sheds light on how climate-driven disruptions are reshaping working conditions globally, revealing new forms of gendered violence, economic injustice, and health risks for vulnerable workers. Discover actionable insights into building resilience, adapting workplaces, and ensuring just transitions for all.

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Your donations help us to track down migrant workers and their families to ensure they receive the compensation they deserve.

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Exposing Injustice

Shining a light on the most hidden and serious human rights violations on marginalised groups.

Providing Solutions

Going beyond what we are against, talking about what we are for, and the changes needed to achieve it.

Building the Movement

Increasing grassroots and professional civil society capacity to carry out research, non-political advocacy, and strategy / institutional development.

Our work

Equidem is a human rights and labour rights organisation. We work globally and locally to expose injustice and hidden human rights abuses; to provide practical solutions to the most intractable human rights challenges; and to build powerful community-led coalitions that empower the individual and the community.

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Shattered Dreams, Hidden Trauma

The Systemic Abuse of East African Care Workers in the Gulf This briefing paper documents first-hand accounts of East African care workers in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates…