PANELS

Human trafficking thrives in authoritarian regimes where corruption and impunity are endemic, with traffickers and corrupt officials working together to facilitate these crimes. This panel will explore the connections between authoritarianism, corruption, and human trafficking.

Mahsa Amini’s murder in 2022 sparked a women-led revolution in Iran. This panel will feature activists, policy experts, journalists, and lawyers, offering their perspectives on the revolution and calls to action.

For years, China has been developing artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and Internet censorship technology and exporting it to countries around the world. This panel will examine China’s far-reaching influence in the realm of AI.

Authoritarian regimes are increasingly taking hostages. We will hear from former hostages about their experiences and how the global community can address this issue.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are leveraging their growing economic, political, and military influence over other authoritarian regimes to circumvent western pressure and establish an illiberal new world order. This panel will explore lessons the global community can learn from Ukraine, Taiwan, and Africa and what we can do to halt Putin and Xi.

Modern dictatorships span a broad range of ideologies, from far-right nationalists to brutal Communist regimes. But there’s one element they all have in common: corruption. How did corruption become the strand tying all of these dictators together, and what can be done to expose these kleptocrats and unwind their networks of illicit finance?

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings are becoming increasingly important as investors demand both profitability for corporations and responsible operations for stakeholders. Can ESG ratings be standardized to become a more reliable barometer of companies’ commitments beyond profit-making? How can we make human rights and democracy a critical component of these ratings?

This panel discussion will explore the role of music and satire in human rights activism, with panelists sharing examples of their work and discussing endured retaliations as well as triumphs and victories, and how the international community can support dissident artists.

Documenting conflict zones is not a new phenomenon, but the ethics of this are increasingly coming into focus. Photojournalists are on the frontlines documenting atrocities to inform the world of a dictator’s abuses, while dictators welcome influencers to paint a false picture of the country’s state.

In almost half of nations worldwide, women do not have a right to own property — the leading form asset owned by the working class — and are at a dramatic economic disadvantage. Women will never experience the full benefits of citizenship in their nations or full independence from men, until they enjoy the same property rights as men. Women’s access to property rights in Africa is particularly low. This panel takes a closer look at current efforts relating to property rights in Burundi, where legislation granting women property rights was recently passed, and South Sudan, where efforts are underway to pass similar legislation.

Activists in civil society routinely face PTSD and other mental health challenges. This panel provides an opportunity for OFF community members to share their experiences with one treatment modality. Please note this session will be conducted under Chatham House Rules.

WORKSHOPS

Digital technologies are transforming the world, affording human rights defenders new platforms to advocate for freedom. But those realities also pose threats ranging from government surveillance and censorship of online platforms to intimidation by Internet trolls to hacking of personal data. In this workshop, digital security experts will discuss tools and strategies activists can use to protect themselves from authoritarian regimes.

This workshop will facilitate discussions about how human rights advocates can be more effective in their messaging and share tips for expanding to global audiences.

Worried about Pegasus? Get your iPhone checked for signs of hacking. Citizen Lab researchers will also dispense advice and tactics tailored to the threats cell phone users face.

In this workshop, Venezuelan democracy advocate Leopoldo López will guide activists in organizing a cohesive global movement for freedom. Drawing on his experience as an opposition leader and former prisoner of conscience, Lopez will discuss shaping one’s activist narrative, effectively using new technology, and rekindling the global enthusiasm for freedom and democracy.

Activists and civil society leaders routinely face undue stress, PTSD, and other challenges to their mental health. This workshop will explore practical strategies for activists to maintain mental health in adverse conditions.

FIRESIDE CHATS

Twenty years have passed since the start of the Iraq War, which ended more than two decades of Saddam Hussein’s iron fist rule over Iraq. What would’ve Iraq’s fate been if he remained in power? This fireside chat will explore this question and feature Iraqi social entrepreneur, human rights activist, and founder of Ideas Beyond Borders, Faisal Al Mutar, and Iraqi political satirist, comedian, and host of AlBasheer Show, Ahmed Albasheer, having a conversation about the current state of Iraq. Despite years of war and violence, Iraq offers a glimmer of hope for the future. The pro-democracy protests that have taken place in recent years are a reflection of a new generation of Iraqis who are more informed, well-connected, and able to mobilize against government corruption and demand a democratic future for their country.

The online space is crucial for activists, journalists, and opposition leaders to expose human rights violations and gain support. However, authoritarian regimes can use online platforms as tools of repression, creating targeted disinformation and orchestrating violent threats. This fireside chat features activists targeted by both disinformation and threats of violence, and will discuss the importance of combating these campaigns and provide practical wisdom on dealing with attacks on social media.

Luis Moreno Ocampo served as the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). In this discussion, he will present his new book, “War & Justice in the 21st Century,” and guide attendees on engaging with and bringing cases to the ICC effectively.

This panel will discuss the growing risk to human rights due to the increase in legislation restricting freedom of expression and other tactics of governments to shrink public discourse on social media platforms.

Almost two years have passed since Afghanistan fell under the control of the Taliban, resulting in a systematic erosion of human rights and a disturbing gender apartheid. In this conversation, Soomaya Javadi, a member of the historically-persecuted ethnic and religious Hazara minority, shares her lived experiences to shed light on the harrowing realities of gender oppression and ethnic persecution in Afghanistan today.

LIGHTING TALK

The Human Rights Foundation invites you to meet the 2022-2023 Freedom Fellows class in this three-minute Lightning Talks round. The Freedom Fellowship is one of HRF’s most innovative programs, where 10 dissidents from authoritarian regimes around the world receive hands-on mentorship from experts in nonviolent movement building. This year’s cohort includes fellows from Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, The Gambia, Kenya, and Tibet.