RightsCon 2022 Call for Proposals is now open!

Today is the official launch of the Call for Proposals for our 11th summit (June 6-10, 2022)! Ready to start your RightsCon journey? You have until January 13, 2022 to submit your session proposal and help shape the agenda for human rights in the digital age.

We are in the midst of a pivotal moment. The explosive revelations of the Pegasus Project have prompted successful efforts to regulate and restrict the spyware industry. The disclosures of former Meta (Facebook) employees has shined a light on the company’s business model and content moderation practices. The recognition of prominent voices in our community, such as Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Ressa and MacArthur Fellow Dr. Safiya Noble, has underscored global commitments to support journalists and researchers. And the landmark U.N. resolution, declaring the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, has opened the door to greater industry and government accountability for the human impacts of climate changes.

Civil society is on the rise. We’re emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with new tools and tactics to mobilize for a more just, sustainable digital future. The complex challenges ahead require complex solutions, and everyone has a role to play.

The Call for Proposals is the pillar of our community-centered program, and anyone is welcome to participate. Together with the experts on our Program Committee, we will review and select proposals that embody our core values and evaluation criteria, and curate a cutting-edge program that reflects the lived realities of our community. 

RightsCon is where human rights leaders from around the world – business executives, activists, policymakers, developers, journalists, and more – come together. In 2022, we will continue to welcome a diversity of perspectives from different regions, genders, and communities, building on the success of our past events. (In 2020, for instance, a record number of session proposers – 60 percent – identified as women.) 

Organizers of accepted sessions receive access not only to our global platform, but also unique opportunities to strengthen your facilitation skills, expand your network, and move your work forward. Read on for more information about the program process, and use our step-by-step instructions and quick links to plan out your session proposal.

I have a session idea! How do I start?

First, review our Guide to a Successful Proposal for tips and tricks. Whether you’re a RightsCon newcomer or a veteran, the guide is the key to a standout proposal, and provides a useful checklist to ensure your session meets all of our criteria.

Next, create an account or log into the official RightsCon proposal portal. The portal is where you can manage your session proposals, apply for connectivity support, and more – all in one centralized location.

Lastly, take note of a few important initiatives and priorities for the 2022 program. 

➔ The Call for Proposals will integrate two session formats – private meetings and social hours – which our team previously sourced through direct outreach with peers and partners. Check our latest blog post to learn more about these formats.

➔ Session proposers can choose from 18 program categories, which provide structure to the review process and inform the creation of tracks that participants will use to navigate sessions. We look holistically within and across categories to ensure program content is distinct and builds on sessions from previous summits.

• Artificial Intelligence
• Business, Labor, and Trade
• Civil Society Resistance and Resilience
• Content Governance
• Data Protection
• Digital Security for Communities
• Futures, Fictions, and Frontiers
• Global Cyber Norms
• Governance and Elections
• Human Rights-Centered Design
• Internet Access, Education, and Inclusion
• Internet Shutdowns and Disruptions
• Investigation, Documentation, and the Media
• Justice and Jurisdiction
• Online Hate and Violence
• Organizational Capacity and Resources
• Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Action
• Privacy and Surveillance

➔ We welcome proposals that take an intersectional approach to issues of relevance to our community – for instance, exploring the intersection of human rights and digital health, or the gendered impacts of internet shutdowns. In the final program, sessions may be tagged under one of our intersecting themes:

• Disability rights
• Environment
• Gender justice
• Indigenous rights
• Public health
• Racial justice
• Migration
• Youth and children’s rights

➔ Every year, Access Now invites a panel of experts to join our Program Committee, and review and recommend proposals to advance to the program. You can meet the members of our 2022 Program Committee on our program page!

➔ Need some inspiration? Not sure if your session topic is unique to RightsCon? You can watch featured sessions from 2021 on our YouTube channel, and find the full list of session titles on our website. If you have participated in our summit before, you can revisit all recorded sessions from 2020 and 2021 on our online event platform.

Good luck, start drafting, and remember to reach to our team if you need help! You can contact us at [email protected] with any questions that aren’t answered on our website or in the guide.