Become a Member

The Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA) fosters the promotion, protection, and respect for academic freedom and institutional autonomy, with the goal of developing relevant human rights standards that serve to protect education spaces, to identify best practices, and to strengthen democratic principles in the Americas.

Academic freedom is a human right grounded in multiple international instruments. Academic freedom builds on other rights like freedom of opinion and expression, the right to education, and the right to the benefits of science, respectively, and has elements of freedom of association, freedom of movement, among other rights. Academic freedom grants members of the academic community, including students, teachers and researchers, the right to acquire, develop, transmit, apply, and engage with a diversity of knowledge and ideas through research, teaching, learning, and discourse without discrimination or fear of repression as well as ability to participate in professional or representative academic bodies.

Becoming a member:

CAFA membership is open to individuals who are committed to academic freedom and who actively engage in its defense and promotion across the Americas. Eligible members may include teachers and research faculty, scientists, students, writers, journalists and other media professionals, lawyers, human rights defenders, and civil society or union activists.

Membership Requirements:

Members of CAFA agree to:

1. Adhere to CAFA’s Core Values:
   • Respect for Dignity and Human Rights: Members affirm the inherent dignity of all individuals and uphold internationally recognized human rights standards in their academic, professional, and organizational activities.
   • Non-Discrimination and Equal Treatment: Members commit to environments free from discrimination, including on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or any other protected characteristic.
   • Integrity and Transparency: Members are expected to maintain honesty, accuracy, and ethical conduct in research, teaching, governance, and public engagement.
   • Non-Violence: Members must refrain from any form of violence, intimidation, harassment, or abuse — including gender-based violence, online harassment, or any behavior that undermines the safety or dignity of others.
   • Commitment to Inclusive, Rights-Respecting, and Scientifically Grounded Academic Environments: Members commit to fostering spaces where diverse perspectives can be expressed freely while upholding scientific standards and evidence-based inquiry, professional ethics and human rights norms.

2. Uphold CAFA’s mission and demonstrate a commitment to academic freedom, including support for the Inter-American Principles on Academic Freedom and University Autonomy and the Global Principles for Implementing the Right to Academic Freedom.
3. Actively engage in CAFA’s collective work, including reflections, debates, and initiatives such as advocacy, monitoring, awareness raising, knowledge production, and strategic litigation, in line with CAFA’s mission.
4. Collaborate constructively with other CAFA members, both within their own countries and across the region, fostering solidarity and mutual support.
5. Adhere to CAFA’s Communication Protocol, including its expectations regarding relevance and purpose of communications; respectful and non-discriminatory dialogue; confidentiality and data protection; appropriate use of internal communication tools; and responsible representation of CAFA (see full text here)

Member Benefits:

By joining CAFA, members gain the opportunity to:

• Participate in CAFA’s academic freedom advocacy, public discourse, knowledge production, campaigns, strategic litigation and/or monitoring efforts at national and regional levels.
• Join CAFA’s working groups and/or committees dedicated to organizing these activities and informing CAFA’s strategy.
• Receive updates and information about CAFA’s work and the state of academic freedom across the Americas.
• Participate in CAFA workshops and events, training opportunities, and members-only meetings

If you are interested in being a member of CAFA, please fill out the form below.