Securing Community-Generated Evidence: Encrypted, Offline-First Data Infrastructure for Peer Researchers Mapping E-Waste and Paediatric Exposure in Kenya's Informal Settlements

Background. Community peer researchers who map toxic electronic-waste (e-waste) dumps and paediatric exposure in Kenya’s informal settlements face digital threats, harassment and data exposure from informal syndicates. Encrypted, offline-first mobile data-collection platforms have been proposed as a safeguard, yet the evidence on their protective value has not been consolidated, and the parallel African literature on genomic data rights and secure digital vaults has rarely been brought to bear on the problem. Methods. A structured qualitative evidence synthesis was conducted of three inquiries (47 study-level assessments; 27 unique scholarly sources), supplemented by seven Kenyan legal instruments, six case studies and eighteen contextual trend signals. Consensus codes, weighted scores and qualitative appraisal of evidence quality were integrated within a conceptual framework. Results. Weighted consensus scores were 68 for genomic data vaults, 62 for Kenyan contextualisation and 42 for the Kenyan problem statement; 55.3% of assessments were supportive, 23.4% mixed, 14.9% opposing and 6.4% null. Protection operates through verifiable chain-of-custody, reduced attack surface and community trust density, and is strongest where independent enforcement and statutory recognition of community evidence exist. No retrieved study reports incidence rates or effect sizes for harassment or exposure reduction. Conclusions. Encrypted, offline-first tools are best understood as conditional amplifiers of community-led risk governance rather than autonomous shields. A five-layer design specification, a threat model and a phased research agenda are proposed; rigorous evaluation of protective effect is the principal evidential priority.