Registration is open for RightsCon 2026!

Join the 14th edition of the leading summit on human rights in the digital age.
Enjoy early bird prices until February 20, 2026!

We’re headed to Zambia in 2026!

The 14th edition of the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age, will take place in Lusaka, Zambia and online, from Tuesday, May 5 to Friday, May 8, 2026.

We’re incredibly excited to bring back RightsCon to the African continent since RightsCon Tunis in 2019, and to host our first-ever summit in Southern Africa!

Our return to Africa carries deep significance. It was a commitment we made after RightsCon Costa Rica in 2023, to bring RightsCon to the continent, and spotlight the strength, resilience, and global significance of Africa’s digital rights community.

Read our announcement blog to learn more about the decision-making process, why we chose Zambia, our milestones for the next summit, and how we’re preparing for our return to Africa.

40,000+

participants
in 13 editions

20,000+

civil society participants

2,000+

government officials

4,000+

private sector participants

Meet a few of the organizations who join us year-after-year
AmazonAmazon
Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
CiscoCisco
Digital Security LabDigital Security Lab
DiscordDiscord
Global Partners DigitalGlobal Partners Digital
Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch
InternewsInternews
MetaMeta
WikimediaWikimedia
Center for Democracy & Technology LogoCenter for Democracy & Technology Logo
Association for Progressive Communications LogoAssociation for Progressive Communications Logo
Berkman Klein Center for internet & society at Harvard University LogoBerkman Klein Center for internet & society at Harvard University Logo
CIPESA LogoCIPESA Logo
Dangerous Speech Project LogoDangerous Speech Project Logo
Freedom House LogoFreedom House Logo
Open Net LogoOpen Net Logo
Privacy International LogoPrivacy International Logo
Small Media LogoSmall Media Logo
The Engine Room LogoThe Engine Room Logo
For over a decade, we’ve welcomed leaders from around the world

RightsCon features prominent voices from companies, governments, foundations, think tanks, civil society organizations, universities, and international institutions. Check out a small selection of the experts that joined us throughout the last 13 editions.

RightsCon speakers have included

Meredith Whittaker

President, Signal

Owen Bennett

Head of International Online Safety, Ofcom, United Kingdom

Rashad Abelson, OECDRashad Abelson, OECD

Rashad Abelson

Tech Sector Lead, OECD

Alissa Starzak

Vice President & Global Head of Public Policy, Cloudflare

Lorraine Finlay

Human Rights Commissioner, Australia

Kehinde Adegboyega

Executive Director, Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria

Jo-Fan Yu

CEO, Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC)

Grace Githaiga

CEO, Kenya ICT Action Network

Alexander White

Privacy Commissioner, Bermuda

Akvile Liudziene

Environmental, Social, and Governance Manager, Nord Security

KS Park

CEO, Open Net Korea

Lea Kaspar

Executive Director, Global Partners Digital

E-Ling Chiu

Director, Amnesty International Taiwan

Antonio Zappulla

Chief Executive Officer, Thomson Reuters Foundation

Marwa Fatafta

MENA Policy and Advocacy Director, Access Now

Raman Jit Singh Chima

Global Cybersecurity Lead | Senior International Counsel & Asia Pacific Policy Director, Access Now

Aws Al-Saadi

Founder and President, Tech4Peace

Laura Tyrylyte

Head of Public Relations, Nord Security

David Sullivan

Executive Director, Digital Trust and Safety Partnership

Neema Lugangira

Chairperson, African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG); Member of Parliament, Tanzania

“The issues that RightsCon addresses deserve leader-level attention … these are some of the most important issues that we could be talking about today.” (2022)

Jacinda Ardern Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Mutale NkondeMutale Nkonde

“This was my first RightsCon conference and what an experience it was, hosting a conversation about healing, hope and protest was just what I needed during a summer during which Black people were grappling with mass deaths through COVID and evidence that we are still continually hunted and killed by the police. […] I hope this will be the beginning of a long relationship with RightsCon as they think about how anti-racist policies and practices can become part of human rights frames.” (2020)

Mutale Nkonde CEO AI for the People, Key Constituent of the UN 3C Round Table on AI
Matt PeacockMatt Peacock

“RightsCon is the Davos of Digital Rights.” (2017)

Matt Peacock Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Vodafone Group
Isabelle Falque-PierrotinIsabelle Falque-Pierrotin

“I must say I’m amazed. It’s enormous. It gathers people from the NGOs, academics, private sector – a convergence and divergence of all these people.” (2018)

Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin Chair and President of the CNIL
Gbénga SèsanGbénga Sèsan

“I mean where have you been if you haven’t been to RightsCon! This is where you get to do the real work… It’s where you get to meet people who you can mentor, who want to do what you’re doing, where you can meet people who have done what you’re trying to do, who can mentor you, and it’s where you can meet your peers, so you know you’re not the only crazy person who wants to save the world.” (2018)

Gbénga Sèsan Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative
Bec HamiltonBec Hamilton

“Perhaps the most striking, joyous, part of it was being at a conference where diversity in all its forms was essential to its lifeblood – in contrast to most conferences I attend where diversity is too often thought of in terms of checking boxes.”

Bec Hamilton Assistant Law Professor, American University
CanadaCanada
CiscoCisco
CloudflareCloudflare
AirbnbAirbnb
DiscordDiscord
ICANNICANN
ISOCISOC
MetaMeta
MicrosoftMicrosoft
MozillaMozilla
RedditReddit
SIDA SwedenSIDA Sweden
Denmark MFADenmark MFA
IDRCIDRC
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