News release
Global Privacy Assembly launches call for nominations for 2026 Privacy and Human Rights Award
September 18, 2025
The Global Privacy Assembly (GPA), in collaboration with the global human rights organization Access Now, has launched a call for nominations for the 2026 Privacy and Human Rights Award.
The award aims to recognize organizations that have demonstrated outstanding leadership or initiative at the state, regional, or international level to advance and support the protection and promotion of the fundamental right to privacy and other human rights, including democratic rights and the freedom of political belief, of movement, association, and expression.
To be eligible, organizations must adhere to internationally recognized privacy guidelines and standards, and demonstrate outstanding leadership or initiative, for example, through:
- The development of a new initiative or project which sheds light on the relationship between privacy and other fundamental rights;
- The delivery of advocacy work at the state or regional level to highlight privacy-related issues in connection with the expression of other fundamental rights;
- The development of new tools or resources to assist communities with understanding their privacy rights in relation to other fundamental rights; and
- The undertaking of research and reporting of exceptional quality and depth that focuses on the intersection of privacy, data protection, and other fundamental rights.
Nominations for the award are open until December 10, 2025.
The recipient of the second edition of the Privacy and Human Rights Award will be announced at RightsCon 2026, which will take place from May 5-8 in Lusaka, Zambia and online.
Quote
“I am very pleased to announce the launch of the call for Privacy and Human Rights Award nominations. This award offers an opportunity to recognize and celebrate important and inspiring work being done around the globe to help ensure that the fundamental right to privacy is protected for current and future generations.”
Philippe Dufresne
Privacy Commissioner of Canada and Chair of the Global Privacy Assembly’s Working Group on Data Protection and Other Rights and Freedoms“Protecting privacy, safeguarding data, and defending other fundamental rights are essential to a free, open, and secure digital future. Through our partnership with the Global Privacy Assembly, we are proud to showcase and celebrate the exceptional work of organizations advancing these rights on the frontlines. The Privacy and Human Rights Award gives us an important platform to spotlight this impact, and we’re grateful to the Global Privacy Assembly for their partnership and leadership in making this award a continued success.”
Nikki Gladstone
RightsCon Director at AccessNow
Quick facts
- The Privacy and Human Rights Award was developed by the Global Privacy Assembly’s Data Protection and Other Rights and Freedoms Working Group, which is chaired by Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne.
- The call for nominations is open from September 16 to December 10, 2025.
- The 2024 Privacy and Human Rights Award was presented at Access Now’s summit on human rights in the digital age, RightsCon, to two co-winners: the 5Rights Foundation and the Internet Freedom Foundation.
- The global 5Rights Foundation was recognized for its efforts to promote the adoption of laws that guarantee digital privacy and data protection rights for children. The organization was instrumental in securing the United Kingdom’s Children’s Code, a first-ever statutory code of practice for protecting children’s data and advocating for California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code. The Foundation has also developed a Child Online Safety Toolkit to help lawmakers enshrine online safety into their laws and practices.
- The India-based Internet Freedom Foundation was honoured for its litigation and advocacy work defending online freedom and addressing the use of excessive and illegal surveillance. In particular, it was recognized for its advocacy work related to the surveillance of sanitation workers and the introduction of a student ID system.
Related links
Media contact
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
communications@priv.gc.ca
AccessNow
press@accessnow.org
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