South Asia Advocacy Contractor At Access Now

The Organization and Role

About Access Now

Access Now is a growing international human rights organization dedicated to defending and extending the digital rights of users at risk around the world, including issues of privacy, security, freedom of expression, and transparency. Our policy, advocacy, technology, and operations teams have staff presences in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), North America, and South/Southeast Asia, to provide global support to our mission.

About this role

As a South Asia Advocacy Contractor, you will help advance the cause of human rights in the digital age and aid in devising advocacy initiatives and campaigns to support our position on policy discussions broadly affecting privacy, surveillance, digital security, internet shutdowns and cybersecurity in South Asia.

This role will focus on advocacy and campaign support, memberships and coalitions, policymaker outreach and engagement, community engagement initiatives, press and communications, social media engagement and communications tools, including branding and design, and capacity enhancement initiatives.

This is a fixed-term position which reports to our Asia Pacific Policy and Advocacy Director, working closely with Asia Pacific policy counsel leading on South Asia and our Asia Pacific team and colleagues in our global advocacy arm, as well as other verticals.

Within South Asia, this position will have a primary focus on India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka; secondary focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan; and tertiary focus on the rest of the region on an as-needed basis.

What you will do

• Identify, develop and implement key strategic advocacy and campaigning initiatives in alignment with our regional strategy and priorities.
• Expand our reach beyond the digital rights community, developing communities of action to impact decision makers, building an intersectional partner network, and connecting directly with the at-risk individuals and human rights defenders we aim to serve, as well as media, private sector, parliamentarians, and other key stakeholders who can help advance our advocacy goals.
• Develop materials for diverse stakeholders and audiences including campaign content, presentations, articles, press releases, blog posts, social media content etc.
• Assist with responding to queries from the media, partners, and other stakeholders, in coordination with the Asia Pacific team.
• Participate in and organize events that facilitate coalition building, strategic partnerships, and direct connection with relevant decision makers.
• Assist with organizing private and public meetings and meetings and events to support our policy priorities and initiatives.
• Assist with managing resources available for translation, design, and additional project-based support to deliver high-impact advocacy products.
• Support and contribute to our existing global campaigns such as #KeepItOn, #WhyID, and #BanBS, as well as others, in furtherance of the organization’s global and regional strategies.
• Contribute to RightsCon programming and arrange meetings with regional stakeholders.
• Cross-arm coordination with colleagues across the organization by setting clear advocacy and campaigning plans and priorities, monitoring progress, and proactively communicating as conditions change.
• Work closely with the Digital Security Helpline to map strategic growth and opportunities for deepening our work in support of communities at serious risk throughout the region, and in response to regional developments that impact the global digital rights landscape.
• Work closely with colleagues in the Communications and Engagement, Campaigns and Rapid Response teams in addition to those in the Policy and International Program team, to collaborate on advocacy and campaigning initiatives aimed at achieving regional and global goals.

Skills, education, and mindset you will bring

• Passion for Access Now’s mission, with understanding of the digital rights issues; familiarity with developments in technology and its impact on human rights.
• Experience in advocacy, journalism, communications, campaigning, or organizing, and the proven ability to apply this capacity toward complex and concurrent goals
• Experience having worked for and with civil society, or human rights organizations, particularly within South Asia.
• Knowledge of the human rights and geopolitical environment, as well as nuances of culture and communication styles, in countries throughout the region.
• Understanding of digital threats to human rights in the region, and a firm grasp of strategies for supporting affected individuals and communities.
• Excellent persuasive writing and speaking skills, and the ability to distill complex issues into simple, compelling messages.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, respond quickly to breaking news items, and effectively balance competing priorities.
• Experience working with a distributed team, and effective project management and internal communication in that context.
• Fluency in English. Working proficiency in another language that is widely used in the region.

The Details

Location

This is a full-time position, for an anticipated period of four months. While preference is for applicants located in New Delhi, India, applications from across South Asia will be equally considered. The successful candidate must possess the right to work in the location in which they will be based. At this time most Access Now Team Members are working through hybrid office arrangements, combining remote at-home work with intermittent use of offices and/or co-working spaces.

Remuneration

Access Now offers competitive compensation and benefits packages that align competitively with locations and regions around the world. Compensation is anticipated at $1,500 USD per month, for a period of four months.