This article outlines Activism Hub’s approach to ethical activism. We know that many activists come to this work driven by deep care, personal loss, and the urgent need to resist injustice. But in today’s environment, where visibility is often mistaken for impact, and community trust is eroded by constant crises, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to act without causing unintended harm.
Our team includes human rights defenders, social workers, community organisers, and advocates – people who have stood where you stand. We’ve seen the burnout, the blurred lines, and the quiet regret that can follow well-meaning actions taken too quickly or without full consent. This article reflects what we’ve learned and what we offer as an invitation to think together about how we act, whom we serve, and what we owe to ourselves, our communities, and our movements.
When visibility outpaces values
Activism today often moves at the speed of social media. Campaigns are measured by clicks and reach, and success is too often defined by how widely a message spreads, rather than how deeply it reflects the needs of the people affected.
But visibility without accountability is a fragile thing. We’ve seen moments when good intentions became performative, where activists spoke for communities they hadn’t consulted, launched campaigns without understanding the risks, or unintentionally reproduced harm in the process of opposing it. These actions can alienate the very people we claim to support, and over time, they undermine the credibility of movements. When we look back years from now, the haunting question may not be “Did we win?” but “What did we compromise in the process?”
Ethical activism invites us to slow down and ask harder questions. Are we acting with informed consent? Are we aware of the power dynamics at play? Are we grounded enough to do this work responsibly? By foregrounding ethics, we shift the focus from performative action to principled engagement.
The politics of power
Activism is about power: resisting it, redistributing it, reclaiming it. Yet while activists often challenge oppressive systems, they must also remain vigilant about the power they themselves hold in relation to others. This is particularly critical when working with communities that are marginalised, traumatised, or structurally vulnerable. Power is not only held by institutions, it is enacted in relationships, language, visibility, and access. As Michel Foucault reminds us, power operates not just through repression but through the production of norms, knowledge, and legitimacy.
Many of us step into this work without formal training in social work, mental health, or community organising. That’s not a weakness, it’s a reality and it gives activism its authenticity and urgency. But it does mean that we need clear, accessible ethical tools: understanding what consent looks like in practice, how to safeguard others’ dignity and safety, and how to recognise the emotional weight of working with people in pain.
Ethics as navigation
We see ethics not as a set of abstract ideals or optional guidelines, but as a living compass. They help us stay oriented to our values, our boundaries, and our responsibilities.
That compass helps us make difficult choices: when to say no to opportunities that don’t align with our values, when to step aside and create space for others, and when to admit we’re not the right person for a task. In a world that constantly demands more from activists, ethical clarity is a form of protection.
It also gives us the confidence to work sustainably. Activists are often expected to be experts on everything – organising, media, advocacy, trauma support. Communities may project leadership onto us before we’re ready. Ethical frameworks help set healthy expectations and remind us that not knowing everything is okay. What matters is how we act with what we know.
Creating what doesn’t yet exist
Some of the causes that activists fight for have yet to be recognised in law or accepted within dominant culture. But that does not make them any less valid. In fact, the absence of precedent or institutional support only makes it more important for activists to define their own ethical foundations.
In legally or morally ambiguous contexts, ethical standards become essential as practical tools for grounding ourselves in values deeper than urgency or instinct. That’s why we encourage activists and groups to develop ethical charters or collective agreements: shared commitments shaped by and for your community. These documents clarify how you work, what you stand for, and what you will not compromise.
Activism Hub work
At Activism Hub, we are not neutral. We stand with those who resist injustice and imagine new worlds. But we also believe that how we act is inseparable from what we believe. Ethical activism is about knowing that even as we fight for justice, we are also responsible for how we show up in the struggle.
This is why Activism Hub centers ethical capacity-building as a core part of sustainable activism. Through structured tools, peer dialogue, and values-based frameworks, we support activists in developing the self-awareness to engage in power-conscious, accountable work.