About the Statement:

During the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, under Item 5 (General Debate), the Union Association for Human Rights delivered an oral statement addressing the urgent need to enhance and adapt national and international human rights mechanisms to meet the challenges of the digital age and AI developments. The statement emphasized the importance of aligning rights protection systems with technological changes and praised the UAE’s experience as a model for institutional development using advanced technologies.

Content of the Statement:

• The statement commended the Council’s efforts to improve international and national mechanisms for human rights protection, despite challenges in fully implementing state obligations amid rapid digital transformations.
• It affirmed that:
  • Digital transformation and AI pose serious challenges to the protection of fundamental rights.
  • These challenges necessitate revising monitoring, evaluation, and accountability systems at all levels.
• It urged states to:
  • Update institutional and legislative frameworks to align with digital justice requirements.
  • Enhance transparency and reliability of algorithms used in justice, education, health, and security sectors.
  • Integrate human rights as a core element in national AI policies.
• The statement praised the UAE’s efforts, highlighting:
  • Development of national human rights bodies using AI and technology.
  • Deployment of modern technologies to enhance institutional performance and responsiveness.
  • Positioning the UAE as a model for national human rights strategies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Importance of the Statement:

• Emphasizing the centrality of technology in rights protection: The statement placed AI at the heart of the human rights debate, acknowledging its dual potential to enable or undermine rights.
• Calling for the modernization of rights institutions: It underlined the need for agile, digital-ready institutions capable of engaging with complex technical systems.
• Showcasing the UAE as an advanced model: The UAE was highlighted as a pioneer in integrating AI within human rights work, achieving institutional efficiency and legal foresight.
• Steering global policies toward AI–human rights alignment: The statement stressed the need to embed rights considerations at every stage of tech policy design and implementation at both national and international levels.