# Wafa Ben-Hassine

Chief, Digital Technology and Human Rights Section, OHCHR. TIME100 AI 2026, Shapers. An international lawyer who has worked with the UN human rights office, she helped draft the preamble of Tunisia's post-revolution constitution. ([wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about))

- Born: Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. ([wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about))
- Education: JD, International law, University of Denver; BA, Political science (public law), UC San Diego ([wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about), [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbenhassine))
- Career: OHCHR (Chief, Digital Technology and Human Rights Section, 2019 to now); Omidyar Network (Director, Programs and Policy, 2020–2026); HiiL (MENA Lead, Justice Accelerator, 2020); International Finance Corporation (Consultant, 2019–2020); UNESCO (Expert Consultant, 2019–2020); Access Now (Global Policy Counsel and MENA Policy Manager, 2016–2019); Nawaat (Columnist, 2012–2013); Tunisian Constituent Assembly (Legislative Aide, 2012); Tunisia Live (Editor in Chief, 2011–2012) ([linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbenhassine), [time.com](https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/2026/wafa-ben-hassine/), [weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/people/wafa-ben-hassine), [wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about))
- TIME profile: https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/2026/wafa-ben-hassine/
- Profile: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/most-influential-people-in-ai/wafa-ben-hassine

- Was a legislative aide in Tunisia's first democratically elected parliament in 2012 and helped draft the preamble of its new constitution. ([wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about))
- The UN Human Rights Office's first-ever chief of digital technology and human rights, a role she took in 2026. ([time.com](https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/2026/wafa-ben-hassine/))
- Co-created Humanity AI, a coalition of foundations that pooled some $500 million for humane uses of AI. ([weforum.org](https://www.weforum.org/people/wafa-ben-hassine))
- Was student body president at UC San Diego in 2010-11. ([wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about))
- Co-founded LEAD Tunisia, a nonprofit working to improve graduate legal education in the country. ([wafabenhassine.com](https://www.wafabenhassine.com/about))