The RightsCon Program Platform is a consolidated system for managing session proposals, speaker submissions, volunteer applications, travel support, and more. Create an account on the Program Platform in order to submit your session proposal.

We’re committed to creating an inclusive program that reflects the diversity of experiences represented in our community. Language barriers often exclude local and regional voices from the conversation. Last year, we introduced a language component to our program process for RightsCon Tunis and accepted more than a dozen sessions in Arabic and French, the two most common languages spoken in our host country, Tunisia.

This year, in an effort to make RightsCon more accessible for participants from Costa Rica and the broader region, our session proposal form offers optional sections where you can submit answers in both English and Spanish. If the proposal form is a barrier to sending in a session for consideration, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team individually, and we’ll work with you to facilitate your participation and involvement in RightsCon.

In our evaluation process, we take into account regional and gender representation, diversity of thought, multi-stakeholder appeal, and other indicators that a session will produce a rich, dynamic discussion. We have zero tolerance for “manels” (men only panels). Before you submit your proposal, make sure to review our Code of Conduct, which establishes principles and expectations for engaging at RightsCon and other Access Now events.

RightsCon offers a global platform to debut the latest tools, resources, campaigns, and approaches to defend and extend human rights in the digital age. Sessions that focus on skill-building and knowledge-sharing should be created by and for our community, and emphasize learning for the purpose of action.

Beyond our tried-and-true session formats, we’re looking to expand creative components of the RightsCon program. Fiction, art, and productive free play can lead to unexpected innovations, and help us see long-standing problems in a new light. If you have an idea for an exhibit, installation, or performance, we want to hear from you, too.

If you plan to propose a Lightning Talk or Tech Demo, our session proposal form will look a little different this year. Before you start, think hard about your pitch or product to showcase, and why you’re the best person to speak on this topic or project. If you have an example of similar presentations or work you’ve done in the past, send it in!

RightsCon brings together participants from around the world to discuss critical issues, deepen community learning, and advance their work for human rights. Every moment counts, and every session should capitalize on, and contribute to, an environment of excellence.

As you craft your session proposal, keep in mind the participant experience. Consider the space, accessibility and technical capacity of our venue. A quality, well-structured session should engage the audience from start to finish. At RightsCon, we discourage traditional panels, text-heavy presentations, mega-sessions with more than 5 speakers, and remote participation. (Our team can only support remote participation for those who cannot travel for political reasons.)

If your session is accepted, we’ll work with you to develop session excellence. Session excellence embodies our commitment to providing resources, moderator training, and opportunities to connect with other session organizers, all in the service of producing a first-class program. On a technical level, the process may require merging a session with similar proposals, adjusting the format, refining the goal or outcome, and recommending additional speakers.

In 2020 and beyond, RightsCon is committed to sustainability and environmental justice, both in program and in production. The climate crisis poses critical challenges for human rights in the digital age, and connects with many of the issues we’ve explored in past programs, including humanitarian response, migration and refugee rights, energy and internet infrastructures, and corporate social responsibility. We’re soliciting session proposals that build bridges between human sustainability and digital rights, and we hope you join us in contributing to this new initiative!

Have a question about submitting a session? Not sure where to start? Get in touch with us at [email protected] to schedule a one-on-one chat with our team to discuss your session ideas, and receive tips and advice directly from the source.