The CyberPeace Institute, PEP Den Haag and the City of The Hague have joined forces to strengthen the digital resilience of the city’s non-profit sector. Over the next two years, 200 foundations, associations and neighbourhood organisations in The Hague will receive free cybersecurity support, ranging from awareness training to incident response.
Free cybersecurity support
The CyberPeace Institute, the City of The Hague and PEP Den Haag have joined forces to strengthen the digital resilience of the city’s non-profit sector. Over the next two years, 200 foundations, associations and neighbourhood organisations in The Hague will receive free cybersecurity support, ranging from awareness training to incident response.
The expansion builds on an existing CyberPeace programme in The Hague that already supports NGOs and small and medium-sized enterprises. From now on, local sports clubs, community initiatives and volunteer-led foundations can also access tailored cybersecurity expertise. In a first exploratory round, 19 non-profits have already expressed interest in participating.
Partnership PEP Den Haag
Many community organisations in The Hague work with vulnerable groups and manage sensitive personal data, yet often operate with limited financial and technical capacity. This makes them increasingly exposed to cyber threats. Through this partnership, they gain access to international cybersecurity knowledge and hands-on assistance that would otherwise remain out of reach.
The CyberPeace Institute contributes its global expertise and practical tools, including vulnerability assessments, cybersecurity training and direct advice in the event of an incident. PEP Den Haag, a volunteer organisation with a strong local network, coordinates the expansion and ensures that support reaches the organisations that need it most. By combining international know-how with local connections, the programme aims to reinforce the digital foundations of the city’s social fabric.
Gert-Jan Aleman, Director of PEP Den Haag, emphasises that many non-profits lack the resources to address digital security adequately, despite their essential role in supporting residents. With the CyberPeace Institute, organisations can now receive concrete assistance, from raising awareness to crisis support, allowing them to continue their work safely.
Stéphane Duguin, Chief Executive of the CyberPeace Institute, underlines that while hundreds of organisations in The Hague protect the most vulnerable, they themselves often lack protection. He describes the partnership with PEP Den Haag as a practical step towards ensuring that those who serve the community are better defended against cyber threats.
Buddy network connecting 3,000 community organisations and 185,000 volunteers
In addition to direct support, the partners are developing a sustainable cooperation model that actively connects The Hague’s business community and philanthropic funds to local non-profits. Companies with mature ICT and cybersecurity departments are invited to contribute expertise as part of their corporate social responsibility commitments. In this way, the programme can be scaled up beyond the initial phase to reach the more than 3,000 community organisations and 185,000 volunteers active across the city.
Beyond 125 years conference
The initiative builds on the momentum of the Beyond 125 conference, held at the Peace Palace in September 2024 to mark 125 years of The Hague as the international city of peace and justice. During that gathering, international leaders from non-profits, governments and businesses launched an action plan to significantly enhance the digital resilience of non-profits worldwide. The new collaboration in The Hague translates that ambition into concrete local action. Alderman Saskia Bruines (Economic Development) notes that non-profits form the social heart of The Hague. Supported by thousands of volunteers, they play a crucial role in the community. Strengthening their digital protection, she stresses, is both a necessity in the current era and a natural extension of The Hague’s profile as an international city of peace and justice.
A digitally secure city
The programme also aligns with the municipality’s broader ambition to foster a digitally secure city. In an enabling and connecting role, the Municipality of The Hague supports initiatives that help organisations better protect themselves against digital threats. A previous collaboration between the municipality, the CyberPeace Institute and The Hague Humanity Hub already reached around 200 humanitarian NGOs.
CyberPeace Builders
Globally, the CyberPeace Institute supports vulnerable organisations through its CyberPeace Builders programme, which connects cybersecurity professionals to under-resourced non-profits. To date, more than 600 organisations have been assisted by a network of over 1,400 volunteers and partners.
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