Conference programme

This session will examine the legal and regulatory risks governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical devices and impacts of coming AI-related legislation on the development and marketing of medical devices.

We will discuss how laws are adapting to AI innovations and identify trends in how these products are regulated across the globe.
 

To uphold the rule of law, justice must be available to all. In countries with no affordable access to justice, many sections of society are denied any real form of justice, which particularly impacts women, children and the poor. What can society do to ensure justice is available to all and what is the role of lawyers in this issue?

The 11 members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPPa) have combined economies representing 13.4 per cent of global gross domestic product, at approximately US$13.5tn making the CPTPP one of the world’s largest free-trade areas by gross domestic product (GDP). Mexico and seven Asia Pacific countries make up eight of the 11 signatories. This session will critically examine whether the CPTPP has delivered on its promise, and what the Asia Pacific region, in particular, can look forward to in the next few years.

Do design, bid, build (DBB) type contracts still deliver the results promised?

A broad discussion on funding the energy transition, including the role for fossil fuel revenues in financing energy transition projects. How are the first energy transition projects being funded and how can those pioneer projects show the path for providing the necessary up-scaling of financing (both debt and equity) to energy transition projects? And how this discussion is different throughout the regions?

This session will explore: 

•    Trends in retail fund launches, including liquid alternatives and crypto-based exchange traded funds (ETFs);
•    new environmental, social and governance (ESG) related market and regulatory trends, including human capital and modern slavery in value chains;
•    trends in artificial intelligence (AI) use in fund governance, asset management and sales, and distribution;
•    what’s new in Mexico and key developments in Latin America;
regional trends in fund formation jurisdictions; 
•    and political and geopolitical risk management.
 

In-house counsel are the ultimate connoisseurs of legal services, setting the bar high for their panel law firms. They expect nothing short of a legal "Michelin-star" experience—impeccable service, a nuanced understanding of their business landscape, and solutions served with a side of strategic foresight. Like a tough restaurant critic, they have a knack for identifying any hint of complacency or generic product. So, for law firms aiming to make the cut, it's not just about legal chops; it's about delivering a superlative experience that leaves them craving your counsel again and again. 
 
On today's menu:
 
Appetizer
- The fundamentals of a successful pitch
- The movement of AI and technology from value-add and differentiator to table stakes

Main Course
- How to approach fees, the use of AFAs, and the difference between price and value
- The importance of business acumen and industry insight
- Changing client demands on topics such as diversity, ESG, privacy and data security

Something Sweet
-What sets you apart from your competitors
-How to keep your client once you have won the pitch

The life sciences sector is booming, with the venture capital deal volume having increased manifold within the past years. This is accompanied by significant growth in business-to-business (B2B) disputes between life sciences companies including, for instance, those concerning failed joint ventures for new drugs or unauthorised use of third-party intellectual property (IP) rights. The panel will discuss the unique features of the life sciences industry and how the disputes can be avoided or resolved through mediation, litigation and arbitration.

The stresses associated with judicial service have not been widely discussed. There are various pressures: government interference, meeting performance expectations, appellate review and workload. There may be issues associated with illness, including mental illness. What happens when a judge is not coping? How should we ensure that judges do not end up leaving a career simply because problems were allowed to develop? What is best practice in ensuring judicial wellbeing?

Seed capital, convertible instruments, safes, carried interest – where are we now?

Along with climate change, corruption is one of the greatest challenges facing our world this century.

In response, the global legal community has a vital role to play in terms of maintaining its own ethical and professional standards, while also doing what it can to ensure the just and peaceful achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals, and the protection of fundamental human rights. All of these goals, however, are threatened by high-profile and endemic levels of corruption, both within our profession, and within those societies in which we operate, and business communities we serve.  

The IBA, as the global voice of the legal profession, is looking to meet these challenges in a variety of ways, which this session will aim to explore and elucidate. Having already undertaken an anti-corruption survey earlier this year, our discussion will include a showcasing of results from that study, as well as any recommendations that have emerged. In particular, we will focus on proposed next steps for the IBA’s renewed anti-corruption strategy. This major project will engage all members of our organisation as part of a cross-IBA taskforce, drawing upon interest and expertise from across LPD, SPPI and the BIC.

As the results of our recent survey have shown, corruption affects all of us, regardless of practice area or jurisdiction. The direction of travel is also far from positive. This session will explore what we can do as an international community to start reversing these trends, as well as the support that we can offer each other, and our profession more broadly, to combat these issues.

Join us for an interactive session where we will release the results of the Future of Legal Services Commission’s second annual global heatmap survey exploring the range of issues facing the profession, as well as the latest in-depth research into what lies behind the challenges we face in attracting new talent to the profession. Keynote remarks on these critical issues will be delivered by IBA President Almudena Arpon de Mendivil. The future of legal services is full of both challenges and opportunities - join us as we explore them. Be a part of the discussion.  
 

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues continue to have an impact on workplaces across the world. While some progress has been made with the greater inclusion of women in senior roles, this is not uniform. In addition, Black persons and disabled persons continue to be significantly underrepresented in the workforce let alone in positions of leadership. This session reviews how corporates are performing from a social ESG perspective and the need for change.

There has been a significant rise in the use of equity derivatives and convertible bonds in equity acquisitions. This trend is driven by several factors:

Benefits for acquiring companies:

•    Flexibility and capital efficiency: equity derivatives and convertible bonds offer flexibility in structuring the deal, allowing for tailored payouts based on performance or future events. This can be more efficient than upfront cash payments, especially for high-growth targets.
•    Risk mitigation: derivatives like options can hedge against potential downside in the targets stock price, protecting the acquirers’ investment. Convertible bonds, with their potential equity conversion, can also limit downside risk.
•    Staged acquisition: derivatives can be used to structure a phased acquisition, allowing the acquirer to gain control over the target gradually while monitoring performance before committing fully.

Benefits for target companies:

•    Access to capital: convertible bonds offer target companies immediate access to capital without diluting existing shareholders as much as traditional equity issuance.
•    Alignment of interests: convertible bondholders have an incentive for the targets stock price to rise, as their bonds convert into equity at a predetermined price. This aligns their interests with existing shareholders.
•    Exit strategy: derivatives can provide target companies with a potential exit path, allowing them to be acquired at a predetermined price if certain performance metrics are met.

Specific instruments:

•    Convertible bonds: these are the most common instrument, offering debt financing with the option to convert into equity at a predetermined price and interest rate.
•    Equity swaps: these allow acquirers to gain exposure to the targets stock price without actually owning the shares, providing flexibility and potential leverage.
•    Collars: these options contracts set a minimum and maximum price for the targets stock, limiting potential losses and gains for the acquirer.
•    Warrants: these give the holder the right to purchase shares in the target company at a predetermined price in the future, providing potential upside for the acquirer.

Challenges:

•    Complexity: structuring and accounting for these instruments can be complex, requiring specialised expertise.
•    Volatility: derivatives are sensitive to market volatility, which can introduce additional risk to the transaction.
•    Tax implications: the tax treatment of these instruments can be complex, requiring careful planning.

Overall, the increased use of equity derivatives and convertible bonds in equity acquisitions reflects their ability to provide flexibility, mitigate risk, and create win-win situations for both acquirers and target companies. However, its crucial to understand the complexities and potential challenges associated with these instruments before utilising them in transactions.

This session will take a look at foreign direct investment, and its rise in modern years, with a focus on how this affects the Arab World.

The working life of lawyers in the 21st century is impacted by a number of new disruptors in terms of ESG challenges, economic instability, ethical dilemmas and clients demanding greater value from their legal teams. This session will consider: how to instil a critical mindset in students; what critical thinking actually means; problem solving as a taught skill; and how students can develop the confidence to tackle difficult conversations and challenging moral and political issues.

Around the world there is an increased focus in ensuring there are reliable water sources. In many areas, this includes the use of new technologies to protect the environment, be energy-mindful and provide a reliable water source simultaneously. The panel will evaluate the use of a variety of desalination technologies, recycling water and other new technologies to answer this critical need.

This very dynamic and well-attended session enables you to select from a menu of hot topics in the IP, communications, media and technology sectors and participate in roundtable discussions.
 
Topics of current interest are selected to stimulate a lively debate. Moderators on each table introduce the table topic and the participants do the rest. Background knowledge or experience within areas for discussion is not required. Our menu will include hot and 'late breaking' topics in the areas of intellectual property law, internet law and mobile technologies, privacy and data protection, technology contracting and dispute resolution, arts law, media and space law.
 
Discussion is usually around the interface of law, business, technology and culture, with a global focus. Many topics for discussion are often the subject of considerable public and media interest. In participating in the table topics you will gain a deeper insight into these areas and be able to add your own comments. 
 
The format is interactive networking.  The session will provide you with a great opportunity to meet many other lawyers and to discuss topics of mutual interest with them: don't forget your business cards, ecards and contact details to share. We welcome new participants in these discussions. 
 
The following topics will be discussed during the session, with the help of the respective moderators identified for each topic:

1. UPC - A review of the UPC one year on
The first year of the unified patent court has passed and we would like to take the opportunity to discuss some key takeaways and future developments.

Christophe Ronse
Hannah Tillus

Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

2. Don’t mind the AI behind the curtain 
Patent inventorship and disclosure issues. We know AI cannot be an inventor for patent purposes, but what is required when there is an AI assist.

Jeff Costelia
Deepa Tiku
Amrish Tiwari

Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

3.What is all this stuff? When did AI become my personal shopper?
A discussion on the effects AI will have on brands and consumer interactions with them.

Rebecca McDougall
Chris Jordan

Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

4. Personality as a Brand
Trademarking the name or likeness of a person. (e.g. image & publicity rights). Is it time for image rights?

Gloria Niembro
Alfred Meijboom
Andrea Fierros

Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

5. New EU regulation for non-agri geographical indications
(worldwide approaches towards GIs for non-agricultural products)

Sarah Drukarch
Ruben Hofmann

Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

6. AI and copyright: (un)fair use?
AI relies on the use of copyrighted works as a resource. Is this a copyright infringement? Do copyright exceptions apply? Does it make sense that the EU regulates AI on the basis of market access? Do the views in the US on fair use change as the AI market changes? What are the perspectives in other territories. 

Simone Lahorgue
Herman Croux
Gregor Bühler

Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

7. Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Cyber Security Regulations
In today's digital landscape, organisations face significant challenges in ensuring system and data security due to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Regulatory bodies have responded with frameworks like the EU's NIS 2 Directive and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which expand the scope of covered entities and impose stringent security requirements. These regulations emphasise management's role in cybersecurity decision-making and necessitate proactive risk management, incident response, and reporting. This session will explore the key provisions of these regulations, best practices for compliance, and the evolving regulatory landscape to enhance organisational resilience against cyber threats.

Søren Skibsted
Joost Schmaal

Technology Law Committee

_ _ _ _

8. Hot topics in Tech M&A
This round table would include the discussion of current trends in M&A transactions in the technology sector. These transactions, which have been predominant during recent years, present changing standards relating to issues such as reps and warranties and their insurance, the use of AI, managing data and geographical differences.

Yuval Horn
Alethea Au

Technology Law Committee

_ _ _ _

9. AI Tables
(a) AI Governance – developing and using AI
This round table discussion will focus on AI governance under the EU AI Act. We will explore effective strategies for managing AI governance projects, including collaboration with clients and sharing best practices. The co-moderators will discuss challenges with regard to qualifying software as AI (AIS) or General Purpose AI models (GPAIM) under to the AI Act, classifying the risk levels of AI systems and identifying clients' roles as addressees of the AI Act . This session aims to share practical approaches and to exchange different AI legislation or ways of dealing with AI between the participants in the countries in which they operate.

Marlene Schreiber
Elizabeth Vestin
Elisa Henry

(b) Legal obligations applicable to AI developers, distributors and deployers
While recent legislation in the field of AI (particularly, the European AI Act) is focused at a great extent on so-called high risk AI systems, there exist a number of general legal duties which will be deemed applicable to any such system. Indeed, obligations related to transparency, explainability of decisions or human supervision will apply to any type of AI tool. Apart from those obligations, other ones deriving from different legal areas (such as personal data protection) shall also apply. The goal for this table would be letting attendants understand the minimum legal duties that any developer, distributor or deployer of AI systems must fulfill, regardless of its actual risk-qualification, and the best way to implement the corresponding measures. This would be done on a compared basis, taking into account different legal frameworks dealing with this type of technology.

Albert Agustinoy
Larissa Galimberti
Gustavo Giay

Technology Law Committee

_ _ _ _

10. A Transatlantic Dialogue: Legal Approaches to Automated Decision-Making
As automated decision-making continues to permeate industries like finance, healthcare, and public administration, understanding the legal implications becomes crucial for professionals navigating this space. Participants will gain insights into the requirements in Europe, including GDPR’s right to explanation and the risk-based regulatory proposals and the AI Act’s comprehensive approach to regulating AI systems; alongside the U.S.’s sector-specific approach and its emphasis on anti-discrimination measures. This roundtable will also compare relevant case law and the underlying reasons between the approaches to policymaking on automated decisions in the US, Europe, and other regions; how best to balance innovation with consumer protection, ensure ethical compliance, and potentially harmonise standards across jurisdictions.

Paulina Silva
Jessica Lee 
Erik Valgaeren

Technology Law Committee

_ _ _ _

11. How to stay compliant with ever-changing AI-related competition rules
AI is transforming markets (including the market for AI foundation models) and regulators are trying to react them as quickly as possible. In this dynamic environment, it may be difficult for businesses to stay on top all the changes and ensure that they are on the right side of the rules. This roundtable aims to discuss regulators’ responses to AI in the context of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the UK’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill (DMCC). We will also look at the US approach and discuss how divergences between jurisdictions might affect cross-border businesses.

Nazli Cansin Karga 
Anne Vallery
Sam Feder
Guilherme Ribas

Technology Law Committee
Communications Law Committee

_ _ _ _

12. AI & Health
This table will explore the capabilities of AI-powered virtual assistants in providing health advice, reminding patients about medications, and remotely monitoring health conditions. This session will also address the challenges and solutions related to securing sensitive health data when using these AI systems, including data encryption and anonymisation techniques.

Doil Son
Paul Johns
Özge Atılgan Karakulak

Technology Law Committee
Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

13. Navigating Free Expression, Responsibility, and Cultural Sensitivity in Social Media and Technology
The digital landscape, while promoting free expression, poses challenges in balancing this freedom with responsibility, especially regarding cultural and ethical considerations. Section 230(c)(1) of the Communications Decency Act grants immunity to digital publishers, but issues arise when content moderation intersects with cultural sensitivity and protecting communities. This session will explore the dynamics of free speech, cultural sensitivity, and platform responsibility, including Section 230(c)(1)'s implications, case studies like Twitter[X]'s refusal to remove sensitive content, and the role of technologies like generative AI in content moderation.

Katarina Klaric 
Florencia Rosati
Lynda Zadra-Symes

Technology Law Committee
Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Committee

_ _ _ _

14. Deglobalisation and its impact on the communication sector
This roundtable will look at growing FDI regimes, bans, security restrictions, etc. in a global context. 

Laurent De Muyter
Kensuke Inoue
Laurence Bary
Nana Adjoa Adobea Asante

Communications Law Committee

_ _ _ _

15. Improving global connectivity
This roundtable will look at new Technology (LEO, fiber, 6G etc.), legal/regulatory restrictions to data flows, and digital cooperation, in the context of the compute power revolution (Gen AI, Cloud computing, etc.).

Pascal Dutru
Innocenzo Genna
Nana Adjoa Adobea Asante

Communications Law Committee

_ _ _ _

16. Hot topics in Art Law 
The Vitruvian Man: Renaissance of Leonardo da Vinci’s copyright. Should museums use their collections as assets or share knowledge, in the spirit of enlightenment?

Steven Schindler

Restitution: Comment on the European court of human rights holding Italy is the rightful owner of Getty Museum bronze statue.

Xi Minjie

Art, Cultural Institutions and Heritage Law Committee

_ _ _ _

17. Parallels between TV formats and AI-created content
If it is not copyrightable, can we still monetise it, and how? 

Elizabeth Morley
Rajesh Sreenivasan

Media Law Committee

_ _ _ _

18. Hot topics in Space Law 
Sustainability of space activities – current and future.

Luca Laboni
Nana Adjoa Adobea Asante

Updates on Domestic space law, commercial rights for Space entrepreneurs, LEO and applications.

Laura Zielinski
Grace Nacimiento
Bob Calmes

Peaceful uses of space (military implications, defense/security issues).

Kevin Pomfret
Salvador Rodríguez Artacho

Power sources – micro nuclear reactors designed for space activity – mining on the moon.

Paul Monaghan
John Caruso

Space Law Committee
 

Our hot topics roundtables are designed to be interactive. We will host a series of tables where we discuss ‘late breaking’ topics in the areas of international sales, trade, franchising and product law and the topics are selected to be of current interest and likely to stimulate discussion and debate.

Moderators at each table will introduce and briefly discuss the table topic and then participants will weigh in with their views. You will have the opportunity to discuss three topics.

We have scheduled turnover times when the participants change tables to move to the next topic of their choice. By participating in the table discussions, you gain a greater insight into these areas and the other participants and table moderators benefit from your comments.

In a final wrap-up afterwards for all participants, the moderators will share the highlights of their tables.

The session will provide you with a great opportunity to meet many other lawyers and discuss topics of mutual interest with them.

Many times in our sessions, participants meet lawyers from other countries who they keep in touch with for years to come. Every year our table moderators comment that they ‘learnt as much or more’ from the table as the participants themselves.

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

1 - A final straw: the good, the bad and the ugly contractual clauses in times of crises, disruption and change of law

Moderators:
Cristina Martinetti, 
Laura Opilio,
Martin Abadi
    
International trade faces many challenges, among them the sudden changes in the global market due to new crises, sanctions, conditions. 

The supply chain and the performance of the contracts are affected by new laws introducing mandatory provisions, for example the so called “No re-export to clause”; and alike. Drafting and interpreting such clauses are key factors for lawyers and arbitrators worldwide.

2 - Rowing upstream: practical Strategies for supply chain due diligence 

Moderators:
Dietmar Huemar, 
Marcio Sperling
Sabrina A. Bandali
Isibor Aigbe Oaikhinan

Supply chain due diligence has become mandatory in many jurisdictions around the world. The challenges for enterprises in going upstream are many. We will discuss first experiences, legal implications, and evaluate best practices.

3 - The Mexican connection: friendshoring and nearshoring, practical implications 

Moderators:
Javier Canosa, 
Ricardo Giorgio Cajola, 
Dalton James Albrecht

Discussion regarding practical implications/strategies/impact on trade flows, with an emphasis on Mexico of:

Nearshoring - shorten supply chains / stay at home, or at least close to it, find suppliers that are closer to your points of operation and utilise transport means less likely to be subject to ‘disruptions’: use Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). A deglobalisation trend

Friendshoring - move towards more bilateral/regional type arrangements – especially in the direction of countries that are/may be more politically in line with a certain countries’ political priorities - it is Politicizing Trade by seeking trade partners with aligned geopolitical views e.g. NAFTA, BRICS or China “silk road”.

4 - Puzzling partnerships: Southeast Asia's overlapping trade treaties in practice.

Moderators:
Khong Aik Gan, 
Jose III Cochingyan
Horacio A Lopez-Portillo

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) significantly influence cross-border trade in Southeast Asia. 

CPTPP, formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), involves 11 countries, including Mexico, several Southeast Asian nations, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand and Peru.

Conversely, the RCEP comprises 15 countries, including all 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as major economies like China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. 

While these agreements promise enhanced market access, streamlined trade processes, and the alignment of regulatory frameworks, they also present legal challenges such as the need for domestic regulatory adjustments, potential impacts on local industries, and heightened competition from foreign entities. 

Understanding the legal ramifications of CPTPP and RCEP on cross-border trade in Southeast Asia is therefore necessary for all industry players.
Subtopics:
(a)    Rules of origin in the cross-border trade of goods 
(b)    Cross-border trade in services in CPTPP & RCEP
(c)    E-commerce provisions in CPTPP & RCEP
(d)    Intellectual properties rights protection in CPTPP & RCEP
(e)    Investment rules in CPTPP & RCEP

5 - Trade policies and trends in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain

Moderators:
Charles Zhan,
Carol Monteiro de Carvalho

Examine the evolving trade regulations and policies affecting the electric vehicle industry, including incentives, trade barriers, and international standards. 

This session will address the challenges and opportunities for global trade in the rapidly growing EV market.

6 - Free zones and regional value chains: modernising economic hubs for nearshoring 

Moderators: 
Emilio Arteaga, 
Martin Gustavo Ibarra Pardo

Discuss the role of free zones and special economic zones in enhancing regional value chains and nearshoring initiatives, and consider the need for modernising the Kyoto Convention's Annex D2 on free zones.

7 - Impact of AI on franchising, distribution and dealership networks

Moderators:
Dominic Hui, 
Alan R. Greenfield

Several franchise companies, manufacturers and dealers have been investing in AI technologies (generative AI in particular) for assistance with daily business functions, such as marketing automation, customer service, product development and training. 

This round table will discuss the potential uses of AI, the legal implications and laws impacting the use of AI, and considerations for successful use of AI.

8 - Terminating your franchisee, distributor or dealer 

Moderators:
Stephanie Zosak, 
Luciana Bassani

Discuss the consequences of terminating these types of commercial contracts, identifying similarities and differences in terms of indemnification in each jurisdiction, especially in relation to termination without cause.

9 - Supply chain issues and dealing with conflicts in franchise, distribution and dealership systems

Moderators:
Martine de Koning, 
Chris Effio

This roundtable will discuss the importance of supply chain integrity and the impact of expanding your supply chain internationally. The topic will also discuss dealing with supply chain conflicts and discussing the impact on supply chains in different industries.

10 - Navigating the legal landscape of influencer marketing 

Moderators:
Joanna Fulton, 
Martha Harrison

Influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for brands, but it also raises significant legal and ethical challenges. 

This round table will explore the regulatory requirements and best practices for influencer marketing, focusing on transparency, disclosure, and authenticity. 

Key arguments will include:
• Disclosure requirements: discussing the legal obligations for influencers to disclose paid partnerships and the consequences of non-compliance.
• Authenticity and consumer trust: examining how brands and influencers can maintain authenticity while adhering to advertising regulations.
• Global regulatory variations: highlighting differences in influencer marketing regulations across various jurisdictions and how companies can navigate these complexities.
• Impact of misleading endorsements: addressing the potential legal and reputational risks associated with misleading or false endorsements and how to mitigate these risks.

11 - Navigating the complexities of cross-border E-commerce and product liability

Moderators:
Daniele Ferretti, 
Martin Kruger

The rise of cross-border e-commerce has brought significant challenges to product liability law. 

This round table will focus on the legal intricacies and compliance requirements for products sold internationally. 

Key arguments will include:
• Jurisdictional challenges: discussing how to determine which country's laws apply in cases of product liability and the impact of conflicting legal standards.
• Compliance with international standards: exploring strategies for ensuring that products meet the diverse regulatory requirements of different markets, including safety standards and labeling.
• Consumer protection: examining the protections available to consumers in cross-border transactions and the responsibilities of sellers to ensure product safety and quality.
• Dispute resolution mechanisms: analysing the available mechanisms for resolving product liability disputes in the context of international e-commerce, including arbitration and litigation.

This session will look at gender-related killings (femicide), the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls.

Despite decades of activism from women’s rights organisations and global awareness raising, evidence shows that progress in stopping such violence has been deeply inadequate. Femicide has become a social crisis. Gender-based killings are prevalent in every country – the UN has reported data from every continent. Women in the public eye, particularly women human rights defenders, politicians and journalists are often targets of intentional violence on and offline. Femicide is not inevitable and can be prevented by tackling social norms, engaging with communities and supporting the police to adopt gender-responsive policing. The implementation of such initiatives must happen now, to prevent the femicide crisis intensifying.