Going Digital: Privacy & Cybersecurity in Latin America

Tuesday, Aug. 3 // 11am–12pm (ET)

As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everyday life in Latin America, the region saw a rapid increase in the adoption of digital services. In 2020, mobile data traffic shot up by 25 percent and more than 50 million Latin Americans became online consumers for the first time. There is a great deal of upside to this digital transformation, including expanded access to financial, medical, and educational services. But life online also has risks, including privacy and cybersecurity, that could dampen consumer enthusiasm for digital technologies unless governments and companies provide adequate protections.

Latin America has long suffered from high levels of fraud, and the digital transition has created opportunities for phishing scams, malware, and computer viruses. While Latin America is improving its cybersecurity, experts continue to urge governments to play a greater role, including through education for businesses of all sizes, and with better coordination with the private sector and other governments in the region.

Join the Latin American Program to learn how Latin American governments and private sector actors could better collaborate to protect digital privacy, improve cybersecurity and sustain the region’s digital transformation.

Waste Management in the Shadows in China

Wednesday, Aug. 4 // 9–10:15am (ET)

For nearly 40 years China has been the world’s recycling bin, importing waste, including plastics, to use as cheap feed stocks for Chinese manufacturers. For both imported and municipal waste, an army of informal waste workers, recyclers, and scavengers rose up to build a private sector operating in the shadows, initially with little government support or coordination. ​At its peak in the 2010s, some 3 to 5 million ​worked in China’s informal recycling sector.

Our speakers will shine a light on these informal workers who have managed waste in China for decades and explore how and why they are crucial to help China successfully deal with growing waste problems

Fighting Corruption and Strengthening Democracy: Lessons from Central America

Wednesday, Aug. 4 // 9:30–11am (ET)

The Biden administration has identified the fight against corruption as a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to address the root causes of migration from the “Northern Triangle” of Central America. What is the record of previous internationally-supported efforts to combat corruption and impunity in the region? What can be learned from key figures who have driven the anti-corruption efforts? How can fighting corruption and strengthening democratic institutions go hand-in-hand? Are there pre-conditions for successful efforts in countries with a long history of weak rule of law?

Join us as we discuss these critical questions with leading practitioners and activists.