Efforts to advance a privacy-respecting digital world were showcased at RightsCon 2025 in Taipei, where the inaugural Privacy and Human Rights Award was presented to Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) and 5Rights Foundation — two organizations working to safeguard the digital rights of millions across the globe. 

The importance of the Privacy and Human Rights Award

The award, developed by the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA)’s Data Protection and Other Rights and Freedoms Working Group in partnership with Access Now, shines a spotlight on exceptional leadership and varying initiatives in the fields of privacy, data protection, and human rights at the international, national, and local levels. By honoring organizations — such as IFF and 5Rights Foundation — that work on protecting privacy, the award aims to support efforts underway to expand ally groups, enhance multi stakeholder dialogue, and propel agreement and action towards shared ideals of privacy and human rights as an essential pillar of human dignity and freedom in the digital age.

Celebrating this year’s winners

The award was presented on the second day of RightsCon, February 25, 2025, by Miguel Bernal-Castillero, Director of International, Provincial and Territorial Relations at The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) and Naro Omo-Osagie, Africa Policy and Advocacy Manager at Access Now. An independent selection committee chose this year’s co-awardees through a majority vote, from a diverse range of organizations making a lasting impact in the realm of privacy protection and human rights worldwide. Apar Gupta received the award on behalf of IFF, and Marie-Ève Nadeau accepted on behalf of 5Rights Foundation.

Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF): Defending fundamental digital rights in India

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) is a prominent advocacy organization in India dedicated to defending privacy, online freedom, and innovation. Their work spans various issues, including data protection, encryption, and surveillance, with significant involvement in shaping India’s data protection legislation and advocating for digital rights. IFF has been instrumental in campaigns that raise concerns about Aadhaar-based student IDs and the use of facial recognition technology in schools. They continue to play an active role in public consultations, pushing for stronger protections against surveillance and threats to privacy in India.

Reflecting on their work, Apar Gupta emphasized: 

“I stand here to acknowledge not just IFF’s role, but the loud, loose, messy, diverse collective of academics, activists, journalists, lawyers… We at the IFF view the accolade not just for the work we have done, but an encouragement for the work to be done ahead.”

5Rights Foundation: Building the digital world that young people deserve

The 5Rights Foundation is an international NGO focused on ensuring a rights-respecting digital world for children, one of the most at-risk groups in the technological age. They advocate for laws such as the UK Age Appropriate Design Code and the California Age-Appropriate Design Code, which protect children’s online privacy and data, and work globally to shape policies that safeguard children’s digital rights. Additionally, 5Rights runs impactful campaigns like Twisted Toys and develops tools like the Child Online Safety Toolkit to empower children and parents to navigate digital spaces safely.

In their acceptance speech, they reminded participants that:

“The digital environment was not designed with children in mind. So [5Rights] have fought hard that children’s rights are embedded by design and by default.”

Recognizing the short-listed candidates

While 5Rights Foundation and Internet Freedom Foundation took home the inaugural award, we also celebrate the remarkable work of three finalists:

• The Neurorights Foundation (NRF) aims to protect human rights and ensure the ethical development of neurotechnology. NRF’s pioneering efforts to protect mental privacy played a key role in the EU’s León Declaration and helped pass the Colorado Privacy Act, the first mental privacy law in the United States.

• GRIT (Gender Rights In Tech) is driven by the belief that technology can be used to break down barriers survivors face in reporting violence and achieving justice. GRIT develops cutting-edge tools, including the GRIT mobile app and Zuzi, an AI-driven chatbot, to support survivors of gender-based violence. These tools prioritize people’s privacy while offering critical assistance in navigating legal and support systems. 

• The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) aims to promote democracy, human rights, and freedom for the Uyghur people, and use peaceful, nonviolent, and democratic means to determine their political future. WUC advocates for the rights of the Uyghur people, especially when up against Chinese surveillance tactics, and developed the Raise Your Voice Toolkit, to help activists protect themselves.

Looking forward

The RightsCon team, on behalf of Access Now, extends our gratitude to the Global Privacy Assembly for their leadership in launching this award, and the selection committee for their time, expertise, and dedication to this process. And above all, we thank every nominee for their outstanding contributions, fighting for a privacy-respecting future.

As Access Now, we are committed to advancing the right to privacy and data protection within the context of human rights, for everyone. In doing so, we will continue to advocate for effective and human rights conscious data protection frameworks, protection against surveillance, and the adoption of important integrity and security measures such as encryption, which is vital to safeguard rights in the digital age. The existence of robust data protection and privacy provisions makes it possible to enjoy other human rights including freedom of expression and association, which are becoming ever more crucial in authoritarian contexts.

The 2025 Privacy and Human Rights Award is more than a celebration, it’s a major step forward in the global fight for privacy and human rights! We hope that it inspires others to take action, collaborate, and contribute to the protection of privacy in the digital age.

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