The RightsCon Program

The Call for Proposals is now closed. If you submitted a proposal, you will be notified about the final status of your session in late March 2023. Stay tuned for updates about our session list in April.

Our Impact

The RightsCon program is the pillar of our Summit Series. Expansive in scope, the program supports 400+ sessions and 15+ tracks focused on the intersection of human rights and technology. Join us in San José, Costa Rica and online from June 5 to 8, 2023.

“The RightsCon community is really busy with the work of changing the world.
It’s really busy with the work of changing each other.

Mutale Nkonde, AI for the People

Network

Meet and connect with the RightsCon community


Social Spaces

Creative Spaces

Community Village

Learn

Debate ideas, share lessons, and ask questions


Dialogues

Lightning Talks

Tech Demos

Take Action

Build solutions, coalitions, and strategies


Workshops

Roundtables

Private Meetings

The RightsCon Studio

 

First introduced in 2022, the RightsCon Studio invites prominent and trusted speakers from around the world to reflect on critical issues and interact with our community. Confirmed speakers for RightsCon Costa Rica include Amandeep Singh Gill, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Meredith Whittaker, the President of Signal, and Timnit Gebru, the Founder and Executive Director of the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (DAIR).

 

 

Meet our Studio Host: Melissa Chan

Melissa Chan is our RightsCon Studio Host and an Emmy-nominated journalist based between Los Angeles and Berlin. She has reported everywhere from Cuba to Canada, Mongolia to Moscow, North and South Korea. These days she focuses on transnational issues, often involving China’s influence beyond its borders, as well as the rise of global authoritarianism and ebb of democracies.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Program

Program timeline

RightsCon Costa Rica Program Committee

The Program Committee is composed of Access Now staff and external experts who review and advise on the selection of sessions for our program. Co-chairs play a crucial role in ensuring the program reflects the interests and experiences of our community, and forms the core of the summit experience, whether online or in-person.

Mary Annunziata

Mary Annunziata

Development Manager, Grants and Institutional Giving, Access Now

Wai Phyo Myint

Wai Phyo Myint

Asia Pacific Policy Analyst, Access Now

Priscilla Ama Addo

Priscilla Ama Addo

President, Young Health Advocates Ghana

Namrata Maheshwari

Namrata Maheshwari

Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Access Now

Sanjana Srikumar

Sanjana Srikumar

Legal Fellow, Access Now

Xiaowei Wang

Xiaowei Wang

Research Fellow, Logic Foundation, Center on Race and Digital Justice

Ángela Alarcón

Ángela Alarcón

Campaigner, Latin America and the Caribbean, Access Now

Laura O’Brien

Laura O’Brien

Senior UN Advocacy Officer, Access Now

Tetiana Avdieieva

Tetiana Avdieieva

Legal Counsel and Project Manager on AI and Digital Rights, Digital Security Lab Ukraine

Abir Ghattas

Abir Ghattas

Information Security Director, Human Rights Watch

Mher Hakobyan

Mher Hakobyan

Advocacy Advisor on AI Regulation, Algorithmic Accountability Lab (AAL), Amnesty Tech

Cindy Regidor

Cindy Regidor

Journalist, Editor and Founder, El Confidencial, Nicas Migrantes

Bridget Andere

Bridget Andere

Africa Policy Analyst, Access Now

Tarcizio Silva

Tarcizio Silva

Fellow, Mozilla Foundation

Jochai Ben-Avie

Jochai Ben-Avie

Co-Founder and CEO, Connect Humanity

Emmanuel Vargas Penagos

Emmanuel Vargas Penagos

Project Coordinator: Social Media 4 Peace in Colombia, UNESCO

Mercy Mutemi

Mercy Mutemi

Nzili & Sumbi Advocates/MS Law

Igor Campos

Igor Campos

RightsCon Design and Multimedia Lead, Access Now

Isabel Ebert

Isabel Ebert

Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Business Ethics, Adviser, University St Gallen (HSG), UN Human

Alina Radu

Alina Radu

CEO, Ziarul de Garda

Marine Uldry

Marine Uldry

Human Rights Policy Coordinator, European Disability Forum

Estelle Massé

Estelle Massé

Europe Legislative Manager and Global Data Protection Lead, Access Now

Sage Cheng

Sage Cheng

Head of Design and Creative Production, Access Now

Keren Weitzberg

Keren Weitzberg

Senior Lecturer and Fellow, Queen Mary University of London

Michael Caster

Michael Caster

Asia Digital Programme Manager, ARTICLE 19

Patricia Cruz Marín

Patricia Cruz Marín

Lawyer and Advocacy Officer, Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)

Fanny Hidvégi

Fanny Hidvégi

European Policy Manager, Access Now

Anastasiya Zhyrmont

Anastasiya Zhyrmont

Campaigner, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Access Now

Caterina Rodelli

Caterina Rodelli

EU Policy Analyst, Access Now

Willmary Escoto

Willmary Escoto

U.S. Policy Analyst, Access Now

Wojtek Bogusz

Wojtek Bogusz

Head of Digital Protection, Front Line Defenders

Luis Márquez Garrido

Luis Márquez Garrido

RightsCon Program Coordinator, Access Now

Laura Okkonen

Laura Okkonen

Investor Advocate, Access Now

Felicia Anthonio

Felicia Anthonio

#KeepItOn Campaign Manager, Access Now

Riana Pfefferkorn

Riana Pfefferkorn

Research Scholar, Stanford Internet Observatory

Amanda Meng

Amanda Meng

Research Scientist, Internet Intelligence Lab, Georgia Tech

Isedua Oribhabor

Isedua Oribhabor

Business and Human Rights Lead, Access Now

Zach Rosson

Zach Rosson

#KeepItOn Data Analyst, Access Now

Nancy Reyes

Nancy Reyes

Accessibility Lab Founder, Web Accessibility Consultant

Katitza Rodriguez

Katitza Rodriguez

Policy Director for Global Privacy, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Marwa Fatafta

Marwa Fatafta

Middle East and North Africa Policy Manager, Access Now

Izak C. Rosenfeld

Izak C. Rosenfeld

Associate General Counsel, Access Now

Alex Argüelles

Alex Argüelles

Holistic Security Lead, Access Now

Tiernan Morgan

Tiernan Morgan

Development Manager, Institutional Knowledge, Access Now

Dhevy Sivaprakasam

Dhevy Sivaprakasam

Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Access Now

Mag Mach

Mag Mach

Security Incident Handler, Access Now

Gayatri Khandhadai

Gayatri Khandhadai

Head of Technology and Human Rights, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre

Reine Zahreddine

Reine Zahreddine

Grants Program Officer, Access Now

Agneris Sampieri

Agneris Sampieri

Policy Analyst, Access Now

Jaimee Kokonya

Jaimee Kokonya

Africa Campaigner, Access Now

Alan Clark

Alan Clark

Ontological Mechanic, Futurist, Graphic Novelist, Super Villain

Chérif El Kadhi

Chérif El Kadhi

MENA Policy Analyst, Access Now

Marianne Díaz Hernández

Marianne Díaz Hernández

#WhyID Campaigner, Access Now

Victor Kapiyo

Victor Kapiyo

Trustee, KICTANet

Vrinda Bhandari

Vrinda Bhandari

Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Of Counsel, Internet Freedom Foundation

Daniel Leufer

Daniel Leufer

Europe Policy Analyst, Access Now

Rand Hammoud

Rand Hammoud

Surveillance Campaigner, Access Now

Mohamed Kimbugwe

Mohamed Kimbugwe

Digitalisation and Human Rights Technical Advisor, GIZ Uganda

Nikki Gladstone

Nikki Gladstone

RightsCon Program and Community Manager

Enrique Julian Gasteazoro Elizondo

Enrique Julian Gasteazoro Elizondo

Communications and Engagement Director, Access Now

Kassem Mnejja

Kassem Mnejja

Middle East and North Africa Campaigner, Access Now

Thobekile Matimbe

Thobekile Matimbe

Partnerships and Engagements Manager, Paradigm Initiative

Sarah Harper

Sarah Harper

RightsCon Program Manager, Access Now

Lina Alhathloul

Lina Alhathloul

Head of Monitoring and Communication, ALQST For Human Rights

Luis Fernando García

Luis Fernando García

Executive Director, Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (R3D)

Bishakha Datta

Bishakha Datta

Executive Director, Point of View

Raman Jit Singh Chima

Raman Jit Singh Chima

Asia Policy Director, Senior International Counsel, Access Now

Luca Belli

Luca Belli

Professor and Director of the Center for Technology and Society, Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)

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