Register for RightsCon 2026

RightsCon 2026 will take place in Lusaka, Zambia and online through the RightsCon platform, from Tuesday, May 5 to Friday, May 8, 2026. The venue for in-person participants is the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, located in the city center of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

The RightsCon platform, which we have used since 2020, will host the full program schedule, including in-person, online, and hybrid sessions, as well as provide access to online programming options with features that enable networking between participants including one-on-one and group chats, and social spaces for connecting. 

You can register for RightsCon directly on this page through our ticketing platform. We are partners with Humanitix, a ticketing platform that offers a socially-impactful approach to ticket sales, with 100% of booking fees going to charitable initiatives, and an accessible, WCAG 2.0 compliant platform.

Registration for RightsCon 2026 is hosted on the RightsCon website through Humanitix, to streamline the process and create a more seamless user experience for participants. Our program, including online sessions, will continue to be hosted on our RightsCon Summit platform. Registered participants will be invited to access or create their account on the TechChange platform, once it opens in April.

We believe that ticket prices should never be a barrier to participation, and offer free online tickets to participants, along with the distribution of in-person discount codes for program participants, community support fund recipients, as well as special rates for groups. To support the participation of those in our community who are facing financial constraints, we offer a reduced price “Community Ticket” for in-person participants and a pay-what-you-can Community Ticket for online participants. If the cost of the Community Ticket is prohibitive, please reach out to our team by emailing [email protected] – our priority is your participation.

Please note that given the significant investment that producing a hybrid event requires, we ask those that are able to cover the full cost of their ticket through a “Standard ticket” consider doing so. A “Supporter ticket” contribution will help us expand our support to those who are often left out of convening spaces, and ensure the longevity of RightsCon as a community space. You can read more about our ticket model on our registration blog from RightsCon 2025. If you have any questions regarding ticket costs or discount codes, please contact our team at [email protected]. 

Yes! If your session is accepted as part of the RightsCon 2026 program, or if you are a speaker in a session, you will receive a set of discount codes to use for your registration in late December. Due to the nature of the summit, in which a high proportion of the people who participate will also take part in official programming, we ask that session organizers, speakers, and facilitators with the means to do so contribute towards a portion or the full cost of their tickets.

We are happy to offer group rates on paid tickets for organizations sending group delegations to RightsCon, either in-person or online. For delegates of 5 or more, you will automatically be provided with a 25% discount at the time of purchase. Please note that the person who will be purchasing the tickets will be in charge of completing the registration questions on behalf of their delegation. 

If you would prefer to have a unique code for your organization to distribute internally, please email us at [email protected] and we will provide you with an organization-specific code based on our group discount rates.

Registration for the Full Access ticket (in-person and online) will close on April 28, 2026 or until venue capacity is reached. Registration for the Online Access ticket will close just before the event begins, on May 1, 2026.

The RightsCon platform will open for both Online Access and Full Access registered participants in Mid April 2026, a few weeks before RightsCon kicks-off. Registered participants will then be invited to create an account or access the platform through a preexisting account, create a public profile, and build their own personal agenda for the sessions they wish to participate in. 

We know plans change and if you are unable to participate at RightsCon, you can request a full refund of your Full Access ticket up to seven (7) days before the event starts. If you purchased an Online Access ticket, you can request a full refund up to a day before the event starts. Please contact us at [email protected] with your Order ID to request a refund. 

Refunds will be processed through Humanitix take 2-5 business days to return to the buyer’s card. Please note that refunds can only be sent back to the original payment method used when the ticket was purchased. It’s not possible to send a refund to a different destination (e.g., another card or bank account). 

If you wish to swap your ticket from Online Access to Full Access and vice-versa, please contact us at [email protected] and we will provide the options available to you.

Visa requirements for Zambia vary from country to country. To find out if you need a visa, we recommend you visit our Plan Your Travel page to review the information travellers should  consider before joining us in Zambia. If you require a visa, you can navigate the page to find the steps needed to apply for an eVisa, including the timeline, requirements and processes. 

In order to facilitate the participation of communities that are underrepresented in global convening spaces, our Community Support Fund provides travel and connectivity support to a small number of civil society members who wish to attend RightsCon in-person or online. 

The Fund offers support for in-person participation, including flights to and from Lusaka, hotel accommodation, a stipend to cover one’s expenses during the course of the summit, visa application fees for those that need a visa to Lusaka, and a conference ticket. We also offer connectivity support for online participation such as contributing to the cost of internet use, supplementing secure participation, and contributing to the cost of childcare, translation or other services enabling active engagement.

 As a non-profit with limited resources, we unfortunately are only able to support a fraction of the applications we receive. We prioritize applications from session organizers, facilitators, and speakers, but do accept applications from participants. To learn more about what’s included in the Community Support Fund, as well as eligibility requirements and selection criteria, visit our website or application portal. You can learn more about our approach to community support on our blog.

Applications for travel support are now open until early January 2026. Applications for connectivity support will open in mid February 2026. 

If you would like to contribute to the Fund and facilitate the participation of a human rights defender or civil society representative at RightsCon, reach out to us at [email protected].

We are thinking intentionally about ways to ensure that every aspect of our summit – from the venue to programming and platform are accessible to as many participants as possible – whether they’re joining in-person or online. In the coming months, we will share more details about our approach to accessibility and the specific steps we are taking to broaden access across RightsCon spaces.

If you have an access request that you feel comfortable sharing with us, reach out to us at [email protected]. At the time of registration, when filling out our form, you will also have the space to indicate any access requests you may have. 

We encourage in-person participants to take reasonable measures to keep themselves and others healthy when attending RightsCon, this might include being vaccinated against Covid-19 or the Flu, to test regularly, and take other precautions such as  mask wearing. Our team will take preventative measures to support the health and wellbeing of participants at RightsCon, such as having masks and protective materials available, and medical staff on site, however we strongly advise participants to take all precautions based on their health conditions and personal circumstances. RightsCon will also have a wellness space and psychological support available on site during the event.  

RightsCon places participant safety, security, and wellbeing at the center of our planning and production of the summit. We chose Lusaka, Zambia after an extensive selection process and believe it to be a very safe and welcoming city and country to host RightsCon, but we know no country is without risk and take seriously our responsibility as convenors. 

Every year, our Safety Working Group, an internal committee composed of our RightsCon, Security, and Code of Conduct teams, reviews our safety and security processes to ensure we understand the risks posed to the RightsCon community, both online and in person, and are positioned to respond effectively to issues should they arise. This includes conducting thorough risk assessments, mapping out potential scenarios, and developing response plans, support mechanisms, and guidance for participants. In addition, this year, we have formed and are currently developing an advisory committee of 3-5 people to ensure our safety planning and guidance reflects the local context and the diversity of experiences and identities of participants.

As with past editions, our Safety Working Group will prepare a comprehensive plan for the lead up to, week of, and post RightsCon. While our planning is ongoing and you can expect to hear more from us in the coming months, below is a high-level overview of the support mechanisms we will have: 

• A support number for participants to contact if they face issues in transit, when arriving, or during the event;
• RightsCon representatives at the airport (either before and / or after security);
• Shuttles from the airport to the venue and nearby hotels, including accessibility support options;
• Local legal counsel onsite before, during, and after RightsCon in case incidents arise;
• Dedicated in-person and online psychosocial support for participants during the week of RightsCon;
• A wellness space at the venue for participants to relax and decompress;
• Our Safety Working Group and Code of Conduct teams onsite, ready to support and respond.

As our diverse community comes from different contexts and backgrounds, we recognize that each person’s risk profile and needs will be different. We also know that Zambia’s cultural and legal environment may present risks for some members of our global community, in particular those who identify as LGBTQ+.  Before deciding to host RightsCon in Zambia, our team conducted legal and security assessments and consulted with organizations in Zambia, across the region, and from our broader community to better understand the potential impact and environment for LGBTQ+ participants, both from Zambia and abroad. These consultations and assessments have helped us gain a more nuanced understanding of the potential risks facing LGBTQ+ participants. We are committed to understanding risks, thoughtfully building plans to mitigate them, sharing clear guidance to inform participants, and facilitating an inclusive environment for everyone. 

If you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community planning to join us in Lusaka, please send us a note to [email protected]. Our team can connect with you directly and share more information about the context in Zambia and how to prepare for your participation.

As always, we welcome any participant to reach out to us if you have questions or concerns about your participation.

When registering, you will be asked to share your first and last name, as well as the preferred name you would like to appear on your badge. Participants are welcome to use a pseudonym when registering, on their badge, and on their profile on our Summit platform.  If utilizing an alternative ID, please uphold the following requirements: 

• We ask that you choose a name that will not raise any flags or concerns that might see an application rejected. 
• We ask those who wish to register under a pseudonym to reach out to us at [email protected] in order to ensure consistency and confidence with who is joining the RightsCon ecosystem.
• We ask those that are attending a private meeting or are a session organizer and wish to use a pseudonym to contact [email protected] so that the RightsCon team can ensure that they are able to gain appropriate access. 

Please note: while we do not generally require participants to register with their legal name or information, if you require a visa the name on your ticket must match the name on your passport. If you have concerns about providing your legal name, please reach out to [email protected]. 

Before the summit begins, participants might consider reaching out to the Access Now Helpline to seek more guidance around practices to stay safe online. If participants have any general questions or concerns specifically about their participation or how the RightsCon team might be better able to support them, they can reach out to [email protected].