Session
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: An interactive roundtable layout during 60 minutes suit our activity. Speakers will present the theme for about 30 minutes. Then they will open the floor to questions.
In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and the metaverse hold the potential to reshape societies. Yet, these innovations also bring unprecedented challenges, particularly in safeguarding human rights. At the heart of this technological revolution, technical standards play a pivotal role in ensuring that these new systems are interoperable, secure, and inclusive.
This session will explore how trust can be built through a rights-based approach to standard-setting, ensuring that emerging technologies uphold human dignity and foster equitable progress. Drawing from insights gained through global initiatives and past events, the discussion will highlight the importance of translating human rights principles into actionable technical guidelines. By doing so, standards can bridge the gap between innovation and responsibility, fostering trust across diverse stakeholders.
Join us as we delve into the intersection of technology and human rights, engaging experts to share strategies, success stories, and the challenges of embedding human rights into technical standards. This session aims to empower stakeholders—from governments to UN agencies and civil society—to collaborate effectively, creating frameworks that balance innovation with human rights safeguards and contribute to a fairer, more inclusive digital future.
1. Olivier Alais, Program Coordinator at International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
2. Marek Janovský, First Secretary Digital/New Tech/Cyber Diplomacy at Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic in Geneva
3. Michel de Souza, Human Rights Officer at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Point of contact: Olivier Alais - [email protected]
- Marek Janovský, First Secretary - Cyber Diplomacy at Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic in Geneva (online)
- Shirani De Clercq, Expertise France economist seconded at the Saudi Ministry of Digital Technology (MCIT) (onsite)
- Yoo Jin Kim, Human Rights Officer (OHCHR) (Online)
- ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative (Onsite)
- Florian Ostmann, Director of AI Governance and Regulatory Innovation at Alan Turing Institute (online)
Dhevy Sivaprakasam, Consultant, OHCHR
Olivier Alais, Program Coordinator, ITU
Jin Cui, JPO, ITU
Targets: This session is closely aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to its focus on integrating technology and human rights in a responsible and inclusive manner. Below are the SDGs that relate to the themes addressed in the session: 1. SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all - Target 8.4: Improve progressively global resource efficiency in consumption and production and decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. 2. SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation - Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade technological capabilities of industrial sectors, and encourage innovation to promote sustainable development. 3. SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries - Target 10.2: 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. 4. SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels - Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements. 5. SDG 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development - Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. These SDGs highlight the broader implications of the session's objectives, emphasizing the importance of integrating human rights considerations into technical standards and fostering collaborative approaches to sustainable development. The session's focus on building trust and inclusivity aligns with these goals, contributing to efforts aimed at achieving a more equitable, sustainable, and rights-based digital future.
Report
1. Technical Standards as Human Rights Enablers: Technical standards are critical tools for embedding human rights principles into emerging technologies, ensuring interoperability, security, and inclusivity.
2. The Need for Collaborative Multi-Stakeholder: Efforts Inclusive engagement among governments, civil society, and technical communities is essential to align technical standardization processes with human rights values.
3. Actionable Solutions for Technical Communities: Translating human rights principles into practical, technical guidelines can empower technical communities to implement rights-based standards effectively.
1. Integrate Human Rights Expertise in Technical Standards Development: Ensure systematic involvement of human rights experts in standardization processes to bridge the gap between technical innovation and human rights safeguards.
2. Create a Joint ITU-OHCHR Initiative: Develop tools and frameworks that translate human rights principles into technical terms and establish due diligence guidelines usable by technical communities.
Summary and Outcomes Report
IGF24: Fostering Trust: Embedding Human Rights in Technical Standards for Emerging Technologies
Thursday, 19 December 2024 - 13:45 – 14:45 (Riyadh time (AST))
Co-organizers:
- Czech Republic
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Speakers:
- Marek Janovský, First Secretary - Cyber Diplomacy at Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic in Geneva (online)
- Shirani De Clercq, Expertise France economist seconded at the Saudi Ministry of Digital Technology (MCIT) (onsite)
- Yoo Jin Kim, Human Rights Officer (OHCHR) (Online)
- ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative (Onsite)
- Florian Ostmann, Director of AI Governance and Regulatory Innovation at Alan Turing Institute (online)
Moderators:
- Dhevy Sivaprakasam (Onsite OHCHR)
- Olivier Alais (Online ITU)
Rapporteur:
Jin Cui, JPO (Online ITU)
1. Introduction
This IGF 2024 session addressed a pressing issue: how technical standards for emerging technologies can embed human rights to build trust in a rapidly evolving digital future. With technologies like AI, IoT, and the metaverse reshaping societies, this discussion explored how to ensure human rights are protected and prioritized.
2. Key Highlights and Discussions
a. Opening Remarks
Olivier Alais highlighted the crucial role of human rights in developing technical standards for emerging technologies. He stressed moving beyond technical and commercial goals to include human rights considerations. Olivier praised milestones like the Freedom Online Coalition’s joint statement and the ITU’s metaverse resolution, emphasizing partnerships with OHCHR to translate human rights into actionable technical guidelines.
b. Panel Discussions
- Marek Janovský: Highlighted the need for greater awareness in the diplomatic cyber community about the connection between human rights and technical standards. He called for addressing human rights throughout the entire technology lifecycle, breaking silos between human rights experts and technical professionals, and emphasized youth involvement. He viewed the IGF as a key platform for fostering cross-regional and multi-stakeholder dialogue.
- Shirani De Clercq: Addressed technology biases, particularly the misrepresentation of Saudi women in digital media and insufficient Arabic language data training and moderation. She stressed the importance of diverse datasets and inclusive development teams and highlighted Saudi Arabia’s SADIA AI ethics guidelines as tools to ensure linguistic and cultural inclusivity in AI systems.
- Yoo Jin Kim: Emphasized the link between human rights and technical standards, referencing the 2023 OHCHR report and recent work by the Internet Engineering Task Force on tracking protection. She advocated for designing technologies and standards to safeguard human rights through transparency and multi-stakeholder approaches, including the importance of IGF, WSIS and the GDC in facilitating such engagement.
- ‘Gbenga Sesan: Introduced the “5 Ps” framework: Prioritization, Participation, Partnerships, People, and Process. He stressed the need for civil society participation, diverse perspectives, and embedding human rights considerations in standardization from the outset.
- Florian Ostmann: Highlighted the AI Standards Hub’s role in linking AI standards to governance and regulation. He discussed the cultural and linguistic barriers between standardization and human rights communities and called for solutions like e-learning tools and databases to enhance civil society participation and ensure diverse representation.
c. Interactive Discussion
The discussion emphasized the need for multi-stakeholder involvement to ground human rights at the core of and incorporate diverse perspectives in standards development. Participants proposed models integrating human rights into technical standards without hindering innovation, and panellists highlighted how in fact human rights can ground and strengthen people-centred innovation. They highlighted challenges in blockchain standards, such as resource-intensive processes, and suggested fostering incentives and inclusivity to enhance participation. Participants also acknowledged challenges in engaging civil society stakeholders in standard setting processes, including lack of knowledge and resources, and panellists highlighted projects and tools which are being developed and explored to bridge this gap.
3. Key Outcomes and Next Steps
- Human Rights Integration: Recognized the need to embed human rights considerations at every stage of standards development, focusing on inclusivity, privacy, and non-discrimination.
- Capacity Building: Highlighted the importance of equipping stakeholders, especially in developing regions and across third sector actors globally, with the knowledge and skills needed to participate effectively.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Stressed the value of partnerships among governments, civil society, businesses, academia and technical communities.
- Adaptable Standards Processes: Advocated for agile, use-case-tested approaches to address evolving technological challenges.
- Lowering Barriers: Emphasized the importance of systemic solutions to reduce barriers for civil society involvement, such as e-learning tools, resource hubs and investment in engagement with traditionally excluded communities.
4. Conclusion
This session underscored the pivotal role of embedding human rights in technical standards to bridge the gap between technological innovation and human dignity. Moving forward, fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration and inclusivity will be crucial in shaping a digital future that serves everyone. The ITU, OHCHR, and their partners remain committed to advancing this agenda.