Wathshlah G. Naidu

Wathshlah has over 25 years of experience working nationally and internationally with United Nations agencies, human rights organisations and civil society. Her work sits at the intersection of gender equality, human rights and development, with a focus on law and policy reform, advocacy and civic space. She is currently the Executive Director of the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) in Malaysia, where she leads work across freedom of expression, media freedom, digital rights and the right to information.

Wathshlah has advocated for stronger legal and policy protections for journalists, human rights defenders and communities at risk; greater access to information; an independent Malaysian Media Council; and safer online spaces. Her recent work includes serving on respective Expert Council/Protem Committees established by the government to draft Malaysia’s Freedom of Information, Media Council and Online Safety Bills. Since 2026, she has served as a board member of the Malaysian Media Council and a member of the Online Safety Committee (pursuant to Section 5 of the Online Safety Act 2025). She has also contributed to international human rights mechanisms, including CEDAW and the UPR. She has initiated large-scale social listening initiatives to monitor misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech during elections and other periods of heightened risk. Her work with CIJ includes addressing emerging human rights challenges around AI, technology and digital platforms, specifically focused on developing research and guidelines on ethical use of AI by media as well as on AI and election integrity.

In 2022, she co-convened the inaugural Women’s Tribunal Malaysia, providing a platform for women to bring visibility to experiences of structural and systemic discrimination and injustice.