IGF 2024 Day 0 Event #127 Human Rights Challenges in Rolling Out AI in Africa

    A Common Future
    1-Lillian Nalwoga- Founder/Advisor, Internet Society Uganda Chapter, Chair MAG Africa IGF.
    2-Hon Agho Oliver Bamenju,
    Member of Parliament, Cameroon,
    Executive Board Member, African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance, Member, Cameroon Internet Society
    3-Gwain Colbert Fulai, Co-Founder, A Common Future, Founding member, Cameroon Digital Rights Coalition, Trainer of Trainers for Facebook in Central Africa, Member, Internet Society.
    4-Catherine Anite, Small Media Foundation,Uganda

    Speakers

    1-Lillian Nalwoga- Founder/Advisor, Internet Society Uganda Chapter, Chair MAG Africa IGF.
    2-Hon Agho Oliver Bamenju,
    Member of Parliament, Cameroon,
    Executive Board Member, African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance, Member, Cameroon Internet Society
    3-Gwain Colbert Fulai, Co-Founder, A Common Future, Founding member, Cameroon Digital Rights Coalition, Trainer of Trainers for Facebook in Central Africa, Member, Internet Society.

    Onsite Moderator

    Hon. Agho Oliver Bamenju

    Online Moderator

    Catherine Anite

    Rapporteur

    Gwain Colbert Fulai

    SDGs

    1.1
    9.1
    10.2


    Targets: Our proposal speaks to the dignity of the human person and how the bridging of the digital divide, accessibility and affordability as well as inculcating the human rights based approach to rolling out AI can improve the human experience. It attempts to capture the following SDG targets: SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    - Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology (ICT) and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020.
    - Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.

    SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
    - Target 10.c: By 2030, reduce to less than 3 percent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 percent.
    - Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
    (N/B: part of the information here is AI-generated although a great human touch has been put in to ensure it's conformity).

    Format

    Theater

    Workshop

    Description

    The session would explore and capture the human rights challenges that urgently needs to be addressed by stakeholders and policy makers in the development and deployment of big data and especially AI in the context of Africa as a means of harnessing innovation and balancing risks in the digital age. The main focus of our session will be to assess and ensure that policy makers address the critical issue of inculcating the human rights based approach into the development of AI.technologies in the domains of the right
    to AI and education, the right to work, health, refugee and especially, Law enforcement. The session assesses how AI is disrupting the African way of life and what human rights considerations needs to be put in to see that its use doesn't pose
    risk to the African environment. Given that big data and AI is increasingly being widely employed in the law enforcement context in most African countries and that the 'Smart Cities' project championed by China is gaining momentum across Africa, especially with predictive policing using data analytics to identify potential crime hotspots, the use of automated and live facial recognition by law enforcement, raises questions regarding the lawfulness of such tools. With weak or almost non-existent oversight bodies, it's critical policy makers and stakeholders consider this while designing and deploying such technologies. With virtually non-existent privacy and data protection laws in most African countries, the coming of AI further complicates things if a proper human rights based approach is not adopted. If a Human Rights based approach to the development and deployment of AI is not seriously addressed in the African context, the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and the right to partake in public affairs would be seriously hampered, especially as police in Africa increasingly use the International Mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) catchers gives them the opportunity to locate and track all mobile phones switched on in a particular area. This being an effective tool to identify and surveil those who participate in a protest. Since AI can be employed to identify sexual orientation, this goes against the core of individual autonomy and identity.If a human rights based approach is not employed, most African governments would use it to locate and track down the already criminalized LGBTQ+ community members. Finally, our session lays emphasis on the fact that before AI is deployed in the African context, it's advisable a full human rights impact assessment be carried out. More importantly, the session shall emphasis on the fact that considering a human rights based approach to the development and deployment of AI helps to ensure that the benefits of AI does not contribute to further widening the digital divide and the continuous exclusion of the marginalized and disadvantaged population in Africa.

    We would highlight the use of visuals, the pacing of the presentation and the use of multimedia elements. Using chat functions, social media integration and other interactive tools, we would blend the onsite and online experience by creating a two way communication channel.