Ensure protection of digital human rights, urges UAHR

The Union Association for Human Rights (UAHR) has commended the efforts of countries that are utilising artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to improve human rights protection, highlighting the experience of the UAE, which has one of the region’s best models.

This came in a statement issued by the UAHR, in cooperation with the Arab-European Forum for Dialogue and Human Rights, during the General Debate of the Agenda Item 8 of the 55th High-Level Session of the UN Human Rights Council, as part of the association’s participation in the session being held in Geneva.

Dr Fatima Khalifa Al Kaabi, President of the UAHR, delivered the statement, in which she emphasised the need for the Council to ensure the protection of digital human rights, especially with regard to protecting personal data and preventing all forms of illegal use or exploitation of personal information, and addressing all violations resulting from the use of modern technology and AI.

Dr Al Kaabi lauded the efforts of the UN Human Rights Council in following up and implementing the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, highlighting the importance of the contributions that the Declaration has helped make over the past three decades to achieve its main objectives and meet the basic needs of present and future generations.

The UAHR President underscored the significance of continuing efforts to strengthen international solidarity to follow up and implement the Declaration, noting that the results of monitoring and evaluating the progress made on the Declaration showed that the outputs were below expectations.

She added that one of the main challenges that limited the progress in implementing the Declaration is its lack of flexibility in terms of adapting to changes in the field of human rights and identifying the developments required to react and improve human rights protection in the world.

The Union Association for Human Rights, established in the UAE in January 2024, is participating in the 55th High-Level Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

This participation aims to bolster the UAHR’s regional and global status and contributions and to strengthen the partnerships of the UAE civil society with various international entities concerned with human rights.

Recently, the UAHR commended President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a leader and role model for promoting peace and coexistence worldwide.

It also noted Sheikh Mohamed’s role in advancing the UAE’s efforts to promote principles of human fraternity globally, solidifying its position as a leading hub for peace and human coexistence.

This came in UAHR statement which was delivered by Dr Al Kaabi, as part of the 8th item of the agenda of the UNHRC related to combating racism and racial discrimination, and following up on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA).

This was within the framework of its participation in the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC55) held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

As part of Sheikh Mohamed’s efforts, the statement highlighted that the UN General Assembly, backed by 34 nations, unanimously passed a resolution designating the 4th of February annually as the International Day of Human Fraternity.

This coincides with the day on which the Grand Imam, Professor Dr Ahmed El-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, and Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in Abu Dhabi in 2019, under the patronage and presence of Sheikh Mohamed.

Al Kaabi stressed the importance of working to combat racism and racial discrimination, promote the values of tolerance and coexistence, and reject hate speech. She also stressed the importance of evaluating the commitment of states and measuring the progress made in this regard. UAHR called on the UNHRC to promote international efforts to eradicate racism and the associated racial discrimination that contradicts human values and principles, as well as the associated forms of intolerance and non-acceptance of others.

WAM