Wafa Ben-Hassine is a New York qualified attorney specializing in international law and technology. She is currently a Global Policy Counsel for Access Now, an international non-profit organization defending and extending human rights in the digital age. In her current role, she manages a Policy and Advocacy team for the Middle East and North Africa and guides the organization’s strategic direction in the region. She is also a regular contributor to various United Nations’ processes on questions relevant to the intersection of human rights and technology.

Ben-Hassine has experience in international human rights law, innovation and tech in the Arab world, and data management policy. She holds a J.D. from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, and a B.A. in Political Science, Public Law from the University of California, San Diego. Ben-Hassine is a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum’s leadership program.

In 2011, Ben-Hassine served as Tunisia’s first-ever legislative aide in assisting a member of the Constituent Assembly in drafting specific provisions in the Preamble of Tunisia’s Constitution. She is a founding member of OpenGovTN, a group that advocated for a transparent and accountable Tunisian state, effectively leading to the development of several procedures in government that aim to increase citizen participation in public affairs.

Ben-Hassine is a member of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) Advisory Network, and a board member of the Arab World Internet Institute.