This event will offer an opportunity to discuss the applicability of the International Human Rights Framework in cyberspace. It will discuss the impact of digitalisation on a variety of rights, notably the right to freedom of expression and information, the right to association and assembly and the right to privacy – what have been done for their protection and why their applicability in cyberspace remains problematic. The session will also cover censorship, surveillance and the chilling effect as common breaches to human rights. The related exercises will include real-life examples emphasising the security impact these phenomena have on individuals and communities. The second part will focus on cybersecurity as a political concept and the impact that different definitions exercise on human rights. The conclusion will touch upon the state of Internet Governance, paying attention to the importance of a multistakeholder environment, and the current cybersecurity-related processes under the UN auspices.

About Our Guest Speaker

Pavlina Pavlova is a former official and currently a consultant at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) working on digital security assessment and capacity building of human rights defenders. In 2019, Pavlina became the Liaison Officer of the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Her previous professional experiences centred around political and policy advisory for the European and national institutions. Pavlina has published on the topic of securitisation of cybersecurity and the implications for individuals and communities at risk. Her publications also cover the importance of encrypted messaging platforms during internet shutdowns, security risks of hate speech and the use of a perception control method in influencing elections. She has been participating in the civil society feedback to the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security (OEWG).

**Note - Zoom links to the session will be sent on the event day before 30 minutes of the event start time.

Cybersecurity and Human Rights