UNGA 79 Ministerial Side-Event | AI for Humanity: Charting the Global Course for Human Rights-Based Governance

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) presents a host of opportunities and challenges. AI has the potential to enhance individual wellbeing, to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and to promote the protection of and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. However, the technology poses risks to these same universal human rights when misused or when an appropriate policy infrastructure is lacking. Robust AI governance frameworks, grounded in international human rights standards, are essential. This event, organised by the Netherlands as the 2024 Chair of the Freedom Online Coalition, will address how comprehensive AI governance frameworks can be fully aligned with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law, as emphasised by all 193 United Nations member states in the first UN General Assembly resolution on AI (A/78/L.49).

In the 13 years since its inception, the cross-regional Freedom Online Coalition, now comprising 40 governments, has established itself as a crucial platform for advancing human rights principles in the digital age. This discussion aims to harness key insights for human rights-based AI governance, drawing on the final report of the UN High-Level Advisory Body on AI.

Watch the event live by visiting www.freedomonlinecoalition.com/ministerial-event-2024/. 

Ministerial Remarks:  

Caspar Veldkamp, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of the Netherlands

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State, United States  

Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Estonia

Mauricio Lizcano, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications, Colombia

Panellists:

Dr. Alison Gillwald, Executive Director, Research ICT Africa, FOC Advisory Network (Moderator)

Nighat Dad, Executive Director, Digital Rights Foundation, HLAB on AI Member

Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, Executive Director, Tech Global Institute, FOC Advisory Network

Sarah Heck, Policy, Anthropic

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights