Event recording
Side event of the 51st regular session of the Human Rights Council
Date: 19 September 2022, 13:00-15:00 CEST
Co-organizer: Core Group on New and Emerging Digital Technologies and Human Rights (Republic of Korea, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Morocco, Singapore) and the OHCHR
New and emerging digital technologies have increasingly permeated our lives and societies, transforming the way in which human rights are exercised. Accordingly, in recent years, there have been intensified efforts to assess the human rights implications of new digital technologies. In 2019, the Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted the first resolution (41/11) on “New and emerging digital technologies and human rights,” recognizing the need for the Council to better address the broad spectrum of human rights implications of new technologies, thereby remaining relevant in the digital era.
Further advancing the discourse, in 2021, the Council adopted resolution 47/23, highlighting the importance of a human rights-based approach to new and emerging digital technologies. As set out in the resolution, new technologies have the potential to provide numerous opportunities to promote human rights by positively contributing to strengthening democratic institutions and the resilience of civil society, as well as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, it is crucial that both human rights and tech communities stay agile in addressing the human rights risks of new technologies, with proper safeguards and tools guided by existing human rights norms and frameworks.
The event will explore ways forward for new and emerging digital technologies guided by a human rights lens, and bring relevant communities to a multistakeholder table to take stock of recent discussions on this cross-cutting agenda.
Program
Opening/Welcoming remarks
- E. Mr. Taeho Lee, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea in Geneva
- E. Ms. Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
Panel Discussion
- E. Mr. Engelbert Theuermann, Ambassador for Cyber Affairs at the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs
- Ana Brian Nougrères, Special Rapporteur (SR) on the right to privacy
- Peggy Hicks, Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures, and Right to Development Division, OHCHR
- Preetam Maloor, Head of Emerging Technologies Division, ITU
- Iain Levine, Senior Human Rights Advisor, Meta
- Peter Micek, General Counsel and UN Policy Manager, AccessNow
