Estonia: Advancing and Protecting Media Freedom, Human Rights and the International Rule of Law/Governance In A Time of Global Turbulence

Democratic institutions are fundamental components of the rule of law and the building blocks of international governance. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, democratic backsliding and other crises are threatening the strength of these vital institutions and the international rule of law. Estonia is one of the world’s strongest leaders for international cooperation and rule-of-law, a core principle of multilateralism and international governance. The rising polycrisis, particularly within Europe, threatens Estonia’s ability to protect this principle.

This Capstone report provided policy analyses and recommendations to the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in five key areas: regulating hate speech and disinformation within the government, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), converting Estonia’s digital and cyber expertise into soft power which can generate political capital, promoting the voices of small states on the international stage through strengthening global cyber norms, COVID-19 policies and their impact on privacy and other human rights, and promoting Estonia through cultural exchanges with New York and other Northeastern states. While there is no single solution to address these five key areas, these recommendations provided a path towards advancing and securing global governance, human rights, and freedom to meet on-going challenges and preserve international rule-of-law in a time of global turbulence.