Lideres, Call for proposals

Research in this area will seek to identify ongoing challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean to ensure equitable access and explore solutions that help guarantee the protection of human rights in the digital environment. It will also seek to analyze initiatives that strengthen the full participation of all individuals in this environment. 

Topics suggested for this axis include: 

• Universal access and meaningful connectivity 

• Digital literacy and skills

• Innovative access models, initiatives, and solutions

• Environmental impact of the expansion of digital infrastructure

• Right to access and information

• Emerging ethical and legal dilemmas related to the use of technologies

• The right to privacy, data protection, and surveillance

• Technology in the Human Rights legislation of Latin America and the Caribbean

• Human Rights in the digital sphere: freedom of expression vs censorship/gender freedom

• The role of emerging technologies and their impact on Human Rights

• Barriers to Internet access and the creation of digital divides

• Access to information and fake news

• Inclusion of marginalized communities 

Research in this area will seek to address the evolution of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on innovation and the development of responsible and inclusive frameworks in the region. It will also seek to generate recommendations to mitigate potential risks and prevent negative impacts on the rights of each individual.

Topics suggested for this axis include:

• AI development and adoption
• Open and responsible digital innovation
• Blockchain
• User security vulnerabilities
• Non-discrimination, impartial data processing
• Regulatory and ethical frameworks for digital innovation
• Analyses of the use of AI by governments and industries 
• Illegal processing of personal data
• Disinformation campaigns 
• Environmental and social impacts of digital innovation

Research in this area will address cybersecurity and its impact on the development of a secure digital environment. It will also explore the mechanisms and legal frameworks needed to strengthen online trust, promote digital security centered on fundamental freedoms, and contribute to an open and trustworthy Internet in the Latin American and Caribbean region and worldwide. 

Topics suggested for this axis include:

• Cooperation mechanisms
• Technical robustness and security (cyberattacks)
• Internet infrastructure security, stability, and resilience
• Protection and impacts on critical infrastructure
• Hate speech and the rights of vulnerable users
• Protecting children online
• Cyberattacks and cyber conflicts/Incident management
• Cyber hygiene
• Ethical frameworks for cybersecurity
• Promoting sustainability in digital security
• Misinformation and strategies for its mitigation
• Cybersecurity practices and standards/ cooperation policies
• Legal and regulatory framework for digital security
• Economic and technical impacts of cybersecurity incidents
• Cyber diplomacy for strengthening trust between countries 

Research in this area will focus on strengthening the multistakeholder model in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as on the role of digital cooperation in global processes such as WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact. It will also analyze how to create inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered public policies in the regional context.

Topics suggested for this axis include:  

• Impacts of regulation on the fundamental principles of the Internet 
• Inclusive and participatory governance models
• Regulation: Internet blocks and fragmentation
• Impact of initiatives such as Cost Sharing, Sending Party Pays, and Fair Share
• Mechanisms for generating Internet related public policies in the countries of our region
• Intermediary liability
• Regional cooperation and multilateral mechanisms
• Effective multistakeholder participation
• Multistakeholder decision-making processes
• Strengthening capabilities for multistakeholder participation 
• Impact of Internet Governance Initiatives (NRIs) for the formulation of Internet-related public policies 

Findings can be presented in a variety of formats, including, but not limited to, digital publications with graphics, animations or videos, podcasts, and infographics. 

Among others, this program is open to NRI coordinators, university students, academic researchers, journalists, policymakers, independent researchers, and technical communities. Virtually anyone who is —or has been— involved in Internet Governance in their community and/or who can demonstrate strong capacity to conduct a brief, high-quality research project is welcome to apply. Only applications from individuals will be accepted.

The Líderes program has been designed for individuals, not for entities.

These small research projects are expected to create new knowledge and context for Internet Governance issues across Latin America and the Caribbean. With this in mind, here are the criteria the Selection Committee will apply in evaluating applications: 

• Alignment with the thematic areas to be funded
• Coherence in problem definition
• Originality
• Diversity (geographic, gender, sector)

Projects must be unique and not duplicate existing research on regional Internet Governance issues, but rather complement existing knowledge in the field.

We recommend that applicants avoid issues related to internal politics, religion, and/or any discriminatory argument that unjustly targets and is harmful to any interested party who is part of their local community

LACNIC will not explicitly endorse nor be responsible or liable for the views or the content produced in the final reports.

Líderes will not fund:

• Applications originating outside of Latin America and the Caribbean (applicants must clearly demonstrate their participation and residence in the region)
• Political or religious organizations
• Promotional activities for existing bodies of research
• Complements to other research grants - LACNIC intends to publish final submissions on its website without reservations
• For-profit activities
• Non-authorship research will not be supported
• Expenses not related to conducting the research and disseminating its findings

Applicants must go to https://lideresform.lacnic.net/ and complete an application form which must be filled out and submitted entirely online. Applications will be evaluated based on pre-established criteria by a Selection Committee comprised of four regional IG experts and members of the LACNIC staff. Five weeks after the Call for Applications closes, applicants will be informed whether their applications were successful. 

During the application process, applicants will be expected to provide a brief overview of the perceived issue (problem statement), along with an outline of the approach they will use to research the problem and the ways in which they intend to capture and disseminate their findings. Each successful applicant will be assigned a mentor, an expert recognized within Latin America and the Caribbean who is involved in Internet Governance, and will have access to ten (10) hours of their mentor’s time for preliminary questions and to validate ideas about their research project, or simply to request general advice on how to capture and disseminate their findings.

The Selection Committee is comprised of the eventual mentors of the program. Successful applicants (hereinafter the ‘Candidates’) will be informed of their assigned mentor and will then be required to sign an agreement and return it to LACNIC along with their bank details in order to later receive full payment of the funds. Candidates must schedule check-ins with their mentors (subject to their availability/agreement) during the three-month period. 

An interim report must be delivered to the mentor so they can assess the development and progress of the research. Throughout this stage, the mentor may offer the candidate recommendations for adjustments that the latter will need to address. At the end of the three-month period, candidates must submit their final report to the Selection Committee, who will review it to ensure its quality and that it is consistent with the plan outlined during the application process. By then, candidates will have been informed whether their work has been approved by the Selection Committee. Finally, candidates must submit an executive summary of their work, which will then be translated into Spanish-English-Portuguese as appropriate. Once the final report is submitted, it will be uploaded to the LÍDERES Internet Governance Project Portal, located in the OPPORTUNITIES section of the website.

Findings may be presented in the form of a written publication, videos, animations, a set of digital flyers, a series of podcasts and infographics, or an original format suggested by the applicant. Selected applicants will be expected to complete their research project in three (3) months. Findings will first be reviewed by the Selection Committee and once approved, they will be published on the LACNIC website and promoted regularly through LACNIC’s communication channels.

The 2025 Selection Committee will be comprised as follows:

Raquel Gatto

Claire Craig

Alejandra Erramuspe

Julián Casasbuenas 

LACNIC will showcase successful candidates and their work on the LACNIC website and disseminate various materials (press releases, announcements, etc.) to contribute to knowledge of Internet Governance topics in Latin America and the Caribbean. These activities are intended to extend the potential reach of candidates’ interests and research. However, LACNIC will neither endorse nor be held accountable or liable for the views expressed in each body of work.