The BHR Group Digital Rights Careers Newsletter - Issue 25

Dec 10, 2024

Dear Colleagues:

You’ll find so many insights in the interview answers shared by this month’s guest practitioner, Verónica Ferrari – Global Policy Advocacy Coordinator for the Association for Progressive Communications and also Freedom Online Coalition Advisory Network co-chair. Having worked with Verónica on advocacy issues over the years, I’ve learned tons from her principled and practical approach to issues big and small.

Verónica shares that she was the first in her family to attend university, and you’ll see in her answers a deep appreciation for the opportunities that university studies can provide for learning, collaboration, mentorship, and direction-setting. Echoing a sentiment expressed by all our guest practitioners, you’ll also see her advice to students interested in a career in digital rights to explore courses and work experiences beyond just that field; and if the opportunity is there, then pursue those experiences in different cultural settings and languages. You’ll enrich your learning and be a better leader for it.

Verónica speaks from experience of the benefits of broadening your horizons in work and study, having studied and worked in academic settings in Buenos Aires, Budapest, and Cambridge (US) and now bringing all that experience as a global advocate and leader in the field of digital rights. You’ll also see in her answers her ongoing love of learning, including exchanging ideas daily with colleagues across various disciplines and in different sectors.

In these tumultuous times of low levels of trust in public institutions around the globe, you’ll also read about how Verónica’s time in public service working as a senior policy advisor at the Undersecretary of Public Innovation and Open Government for Argentina’s Secretariat of Modernization has shaped her approach to issues in digital rights today. As her colleagues will attest, her leadership and commitment in the field of digital rights today, in particular her service on behalf of vulnerable and marginalized communities, is informed by her time in academia, civil society, and government, giving her unique insights into how each of these stakeholder groups thinks and works.

Verónica’s a brilliant thinker, writer, advocate, and leader, and we all have lots to learn from the insights she shares here and the leadership example she always demonstrates in her work. Thank you Verónica!

Michael Samway
The Business and Human Rights Group
Website: www.thebhrgroup.com

Guest Spotlight: Verónica Ferrari

Verónica is the Global Policy Advocacy Coordinator at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). In this role, she coordinates the organization and members’ involvement in various global policy forums, including the UN Open-ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies, and the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, among others. Verónica also serves as APC representative at the Freedom Online Coalition Advisory Network, where she is now one of the AN co-chairs.

Before joining APC, Verónica served as Senior Policy Advisor at the Government Secretariat of Modernization in Argentina. In this capacity, Verónica represented Argentina at the OECD Public Governance Committee and worked on gender-related initiatives at the G20 Digital Economy Task Force during the Argentinian Presidency in 2018.

Previously, Verónica has contributed to the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University and the Center for Studies on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information (CELE). She has also worked as a consultant, collaborating with various digital rights organizations across Latin America.

Verónica holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires and a Master's degree in Public Policy from Central European University.

Her professional focus revolves now on digital policy, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, and gender.

What are some of the most formative period or events in your life, personal or professional, that shaped your work in technology and human rights?

My experience at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), where I did my bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, was one of the most formative periods of my life. I was the first in my family to attend university and this opened up a whole new world for me, both socially and intellectually. Over my years at UBA, among many other issues, I was introduced to critical studies on communication and the media, and over time, I realized that instead of being a journalist (the original plan) I wanted to work on public policy. It’s difficult to envision where I’d be today without those years at the university.
My time at university also led to my first job in civil society, working with human rights organizations alongside incredible colleagues and, now, friends. That first role helped me discover the field of civil society and human rights, where I have spent most of my career. It also provided invaluable practical experience on how organizations work from the inside, on human rights broadly, and with independent and community media. My dissertation was focused on community media so my time at university and my first job complemented each other, reinforcing my understanding and commitment to these topics.
Later, my years at the Center for Studies on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information (CELE), a leading academic center in Latin America on internet issues, marked another turning point. This experience allowed me to begin working on human rights and digital issues. My time at CELE was incredibly formative, as I gained knowledge of topics I still engage with today. It also introduced me to a new world of amazing organizations and brilliant people, mainly from Latin America, with whom I have been collaborating for the past (wow!) 15 years. It was during this time at CELE that I realized I wanted to pursue a career at the intersection of human rights, digital, and public policy.

Who are some people or an individual you’ve met during your work in this field who have/has had profound influence on your work? And in what way?

It’s hard to name everyone because there have been so many people! But I would mention Eduardo Bertoni, who was the director at CELE at the time I was working there. Eduardo has always been incredibly generous, he’s been a mentor to me and many others in the field. He allowed me to tweak and expand my role at CELE and always pushed me to progress in my career, while always caring about my life more broadly. I also want to mention the colleagues and friends I had during my years at CELE who helped me grow both academically and professionally.
I’ve been fortunate to cross paths with many generous and brilliant colleagues who have supported me throughout my career: those working in other organizations I collaborate in projects and policy spaces, the team at APC, and supportive colleagues like you, Michael, at the FOC Advisory Network.
I feel I have a great network of peers, and, in many cases, friends, whom I rely on whenever I want to discuss a career move, brainstorm an issue, or simply catch up about life when we meet at events. I think this is one of the things I value and enjoy most of my work.

What are some of the values, broadly speaking, that guide you in this field or in life more broadly?

My academic and professional experiences have taught me the importance of collaboration. I’ve learned how much my work and thinking improve when I collaborate with colleagues who challenge me, provide feedback, and bring new perspectives.
In general, I believe I am always trying to learn new things, and working with others is one of the best ways to do that.
I particularly value working with people who bring a nice and fun energy to workspaces. A sense of humor and the ability to connect on things beyond just work are things I really appreciate in work environments (and that help me to work better!).

What are some ways you think the technology, policy, and human rights fields can become more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible in composition, policy topics, learning, and advocacy?

I have the privilege of working at APC, an organization that historically has this as a core mission: to bring perspectives and amplify the voices of marginalized communities in digital policy discussions and advocate for changes, including making policy-making more open, inclusive, and accountable.
I have seen how the field has changed since I joined in terms of addressing this issue. However, voices and experiences from these communities, especially from the global South, are still not heard or reflected enough in digital policy discussions. Key things to do to address this include having champions from different stakeholders advocating for diversity, inclusivity, equity, and accessibility in composition and topics in digital policy spaces. But policy spaces should make proactive efforts to engage with marginalized groups.
All of us participating in these discussions and spaces need to reflect more on our own biases, preconceived ideas, and power dynamics and see how this might be informing the policy priorities, working methods, and ways of approaching policy problems.

For undergraduate or graduate students reading this, what type course (e.g., computer science, human rights, languages, history, art) or activities (e.g., internships, summer jobs) do you think might be most helpful as they contemplate careers in technology, public policy, and human rights?

After a couple of years working on digital issues, I took a break from work to pursue a master’s degree in public policy at Central European University in Budapest, another transformative experience in many ways. That time allowed me to explore, study, and conduct research on new topics, such as gender-based violence, and also allowed me to gain a more global understanding of certain debates.
Although my concentration was in Media and Digital, the courses I enjoyed the most, and that I feel truly expanded my knowledge and perspectives were not directly related to digital. I took courses on human rights law, gender, and security, which are topics now work on in connection with digital issues. My suggestion would be: to try to find a balance between academia and practical experience so they feed into each other, and do not limit yourself to digital related courses.

For current practitioners in this field, and given your own career experience, what are some considerations you think are worth taking into account when deciding whether to change sectors, say from civil society or academia to the private sector? Or from the private sector to government or civil society?

After completing my master's and an internship at the Berkman Klein Center, I returned to Argentina. After years of working in civil society, I felt the need for a change and a new challenge. I had the amazing opportunity to join the Government Secretariat of Modernization in Argentina, working as a senior policy advisor at the Undersecretary of Public Innovation and Open Government, led by Rudi Borrmann.
There, I discovered a range of new topics, from digital government to open data and government, to innovation in the public sector. It was a timely moment, as Argentina held the G20 Presidency, and I had the honor of participating as a delegate in international discussions representing Argentina. This was a true privilege and another turning point in my career, as it led me to continue working on global policy.
During that very intense year and a half at the Argentinian government, I met incredible colleagues and learned a lot from them, both in terms of new topics and collaborative working dynamics. Fortunately, many of them have become very good friends.
Working in the public sector was for me another truly life changing experience. It helped me understand (at least a bit) how government works from the inside. My recommendation would be this: changing sectors and the topics you work on will only enrich your perspectives, no matter the path you choose to follow.

What’s an event or period professionally from which you’ve learned a great deal, either about yourself or about a topic or a way of doing things/advocating inside an organization?

I have been working with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) for more than five years now. I’ve been a fan of APC’s work ever since I started focusing on human rights and technology. When I began exploring gender issues, I did so through APC’s work. I still remember attending events and being amazed by APC representatives on panels discussing a feminist internet. It has been a privilege to work at a pioneering organization that brings gender and feminist perspectives to internet discussions and to collaborate with people who have led that groundbreaking work.
At APC, I represent the organization in global policy discussions and I lead work on gender and cybersecurity. My time at APC has expanded my understanding and knowledge about a wide range of human rights issues and the intersections with digital and helped me to develop insights into different and diverse contexts through collaboration with members and partners from around the world.
My time at APC and the possibility of representing the organization at the UN and the FOC, for instance, also significantly allowed me to learn and better understand international policy processes and dynamics.
All in all, these last few years at such a diverse, vibrant organization, surrounded by brilliant and kind colleagues, have been an incredible learning experience.

What are two or three books, podcasts, albums, poems, songs, other works of art, etc. that inspire you or that you’d recommend to people interested in working in this field?

The BHR Group Digital Rights Careers Newsletter

The BHR Group Digital Rights Careers Newsletter - Issue 25

Guest Spotlight: Verónica Ferrari

Positions in Policy, Law, and Digital Rights

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