US Mission to the UN 2015 Internet Freedom Fellows

The Internet Freedom Fellows program, funded by the U.S. Mission to the UN-Geneva, brought five human rights activists from across the globe to Geneva and Washington to meet with fellow activists, U.S. and international government leaders, and members of civil society and the private sector engaged in technology and human rights. During the program, Fellows engaged in topics concerning the importance of the Internet to the promotion of the fundamental rights of expression and assembly.  While promoting ideas and sharing best practices, the Fellows built networks to strengthen and defend freedom of expression across the globe. The 2015 program highlighted the intersection of women’s empowerment and technology, part of a larger campaign - “The Future She Deserves.”

Launched in 2011, the Internet Freedom Fellows program is an initiative of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. The United States Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva advances U.S. policy on the front lines of multilateral diplomacy at over 100 international organizations in Geneva. U.S. Mission personnel engage daily on issues as diverse as refugee crises, global health, international law, economic development, trade, the environment, arms control and human rights.

While in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, participants met with government representatives, NGO officials, technology and internet experts and academics to discuss:

• U.S. legislation at the federal, state, and local level designed to promote internet freedom
• Role of NGO’s, government officials, and other institutions in raising awareness of the importance of a free and open internet for the promotion of human rights and transparency
• Best practices in utilizing social media and interactive platforms to showcase human rights issues
• Research and scholarship focused on how a free and open internet can be used to defend human rights and improve governance

Staff