Access Now, a non-profit organisation that defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk, will hold the 2026 edition of its annual summit on human rights in the digital age, popularly known as RightsCon, in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, from May 5 to 8, 2026. The Summit will bring together business leaders, policy makers, government representatives, technologists, academics, journalists, and human rights advocates from around the world to tackle pressing issues at the intersection of human rights and technology.
The choice of Zambia as the host country is based on the significant progress its government has made in strengthening the nation’s digital economy through investments in expanded connectivity, digital literacy, and the digitised delivery of public services.
The advancements have positioned Zambia as a regional hub for innovation. Lusaka, in particular, has become a focal point for regional and international digital rights engagement, hosting major convenings, such as the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (2022), MozFest House (2024), and the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (2025).
A key factor in selecting Lusaka as the host city was accessibility. Zambia offers visa-free entry to 167 countries and provides a straightforward e-Visa process for others, making global participation more inclusive. The decision was the outcome of a multi-year consultation involving community members, Access Now’s Africa team, and regional partners, ensuring participants’ safety while reinforcing RightsCon’s role as a trusted platform that drives the global digital rights agenda forward.
The timeline for RightsCon 2026 will closely follow the structure of the previous year’s summit. The Call for Proposals opens on August 1, 2025, and closes on September 12, 2025, followed by the call for application for travel support in September. Registration will open in November 2025, with proposal notifications sent out in December. The public session list will be released in February 2026, and the summit platform will go live in April, ahead of the main event scheduled for May 5 to 8, 2026, in Lusaka.
