Human rights principles Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Global data governance efforts expand as UNESCO supports policy capacity for AI systems

UNESCO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a joint initiative to support governments in developing rights-based data governance frameworks for AI. The programme reflects growing global efforts to align digital transformation with public interest objectives.

The Data governance for inclusive digital and AI futures initiative provides policymakers with practical tools to design transparent and accountable data systems, with a focus on safeguarding rights and enabling inclusive AI deployment.

It responds to increasing demand for structured governance approaches as countries expand the use of data-driven technologies.

Participants from multiple regions applied governance frameworks to areas including healthcare, digital identity, and social protection. These projects demonstrate how data governance can improve public service delivery while strengthening accountability and citizen trust.

Hosted at ITU Academy and supported by the EU Global Gateway initiative, the programme also promotes cross-country collaboration and knowledge exchange, reinforcing international coordination in data governance.

An initiative by UNESCO that highlights the importance of building institutional capacity to ensure that AI systems operate within clear legal and ethical frameworks.

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China sets trial ethics rules for AI science and technology activities

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and nine other departments have issued the ‘Measures for AI science and technology ethics review and services (Trial)’, setting out rules on scope, support measures, implementing bodies, working procedures, supervision, and legal responsibility.

The text says the measures are intended to regulate ethics governance for AI science and technology activities and to support fair, just, safe, and responsible innovation.

The measures apply to AI scientific research, technology development, and other science and technology activities carried out in China that may raise ethics risks relating to human dignity, public order, life and health, the ecological environment, or sustainable development.

The text states that ethics requirements should run through the whole process of AI activities and lists principles including promoting human well-being, respecting life and rights, fairness and justice, reasonable risk control, openness and transparency, privacy and security protection, and controllability and trustworthiness.

On support measures, the document calls for improving the AI ethics standards system, including international, national, industry, and group standards. It also calls for stronger risk monitoring, testing, assessment, certification, and consulting services, more support for small and micro enterprises, work on ethics review research and technical innovation, the orderly opening of high-quality datasets, development of risk assessment and audit tools, public education, and ethics-related talent training.

The measures state that universities, research institutions, medical and health institutions, enterprises, and other entities engaged in AI science and technology activities are responsible for ethics review management within their own organisations and should establish AI science and technology ethics committees.

Local authorities and relevant departments may also establish specialised ethics review and service centres that provide review, re-examination, training, and consulting services on commission, but may not both review and re-examine the same AI activity.

The text sets out application and review procedures, including general, simplified, expert re-examination, and emergency procedures. It says review should focus on human well-being, fairness and justice, controllability and trustworthiness, transparency and explainability, traceability of responsibility, and privacy protection. Review decisions are to be made within 30 days after acceptance, subject to extension in complex cases. An emergency review is generally completed within 72 hours.

The measures also provide for expert re-examination of listed activities. The attached list covers human-machine integrated systems with a strong influence on human behaviour, psychological emotions, or health; algorithmic models, applications, and systems with the capacity for social mobilisation or guidance of social consciousness; and highly autonomous automated decision systems used in scenarios involving safety or health risks. The text says the list will be adjusted dynamically as needed.

The document further states that violations may be investigated and handled under laws, including the Cybersecurity Law, the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law, and the Science and Technology Progress Law. According to the text, the measures take effect upon issuance.

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Digital Public Goods Alliance roadmap incorporates UNESCO Open Solutions

UNESCO announced that its Open Solutions have been included in the Digital Public Goods Alliance’s roadmap as part of its membership.

Roadmap activities focus on Open Solutions supporting knowledge ecosystems and information resilience by advancing Open Educational Resources as digital public goods, mainstreaming equitable open access to knowledge ecosystems, unlocking open data for research and learning, and strengthening Free and Open Source Software, according to UNESCO.

Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, said: ‘The inclusion of UNESCO’s Open Solutions— Open Educational Resources, Open Access, Open Data and Free and Open Source Software— in the Digital Public Goods Alliance roadmap, underscores our commitment to knowledge as a public good and to multilateral cooperation. Through these open systems, UNESCO supports Member States in expanding access to information and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.’

UNESCO said its Open Solutions support the discovery, use, and adaptation of digital public goods that help reduce structural barriers to knowledge. It added that they prioritise multilingual access, equitable participation, and the reuse of educational, scientific, and public-interest resources.

UNESCO described the Digital Public Goods Alliance as a multistakeholder initiative that supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by advancing the discovery, development, use, and investment in digital public goods. It said these include open source software, open data, open AI models, and open content that adhere to applicable laws and best practices, are designed to do no harm, and contribute to sustainable development.

Liv Marte Nordhaug, Chief Executive Officer of the Digital Public Goods Alliance Secretariat, said: ‘Through its Open Solutions, UNESCO is advancing open and inclusive knowledge ecosystems while strengthening the development and adoption of digital public goods that expand access to shared, interoperable resources and enable equitable participation in the digital age.’

UNESCO also said its engagement in the alliance contributes to implementing the UN Global Digital Compact and the United Nations Pact for the Future, reaffirming that knowledge, and the digital systems that underpin it, must remain a global public good, governed in the public interest, anchored in international human rights standards, and accessible to all without discrimination.

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New law strengthens protections for healthcare patients in Brazil

Brazil has introduced a new legal framework establishing a nationwide Statute of Patients’ Rights through Law No. 15.378. The law sets out protections and responsibilities for healthcare patients across public, private, and insurance services.

The statute guarantees patients’ key rights such as non-discriminatory treatment, access to clear and sufficient medical information, confidentiality of health data, and the requirement for informed consent before treatment decisions.

Additional protections include the right to a companion during care, access to interpreters or accessibility support, and the ability to seek a second medical opinion. Patient responsibilities are also formalised under the law.

Individuals are expected to provide accurate medical history and follow prescribed treatments. They must ask questions when needed, respect healthcare rules, and inform professionals of any changes in their condition or decision to discontinue treatment.

Compliance measures include publishing rights, assessing healthcare quality, promoting research, and providing complaint channels. Violations are treated as human rights infringements, reinforcing the law’s legal and ethical importance in Brazil’s healthcare system.

By embedding principles such as informed consent, non-discrimination, privacy, and access to information into law, it strengthens individual autonomy and dignity in medical decision-making.

In broader terms, it reinforces the idea that access to safe, transparent, and respectful healthcare is an essential component of fundamental human rights, not a discretionary service.

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Student AI rights framework unveiled

A newly released ‘Student AI Bill of Rights’ in the US outlines a proposed framework to protect learners as AI tools become increasingly widespread in education. The initiative aims to establish clear standards for fairness, transparency and accountability.

The document highlights the need for students to be informed when AI systems are used in teaching, assessment or administration. It also stresses that students should retain control over their personal data and academic work.

Another central principle is accountability, with students given the right to question and appeal decisions made or influenced by AI systems. The framework also calls for safeguards to prevent bias and ensure equal access to educational opportunities.

While not legally binding, the proposal is designed to guide higher education institutions in developing responsible AI policies. It reflects growing efforts to define ethical standards for AI use in education in the US.

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UN commissioner calls for human rights-centred digital governance at GANHRI conference

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk told the annual conference of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in Geneva that digital technologies are affecting human rights in areas including conflict, surveillance, online violence, and civic space, while protections have not kept pace.

Türk said ‘while our rights fully apply online, the systems to protect them have yet to keep pace.’ He referred to social media hate speech, surveillance, online violence against women in public life, and the use of digital technologies in conflict.

The speech set out two priorities for national human rights institutions: using digital tools in their own work, and strengthening protection of human rights in digital spaces. Türk said this includes documenting the human rights impact of digital technologies, using existing laws for accountability, and helping shape new legal frameworks.

On AI, Türk said: ‘This evidence should be used to push for accountability under existing laws. It should also inform the development of new legal frameworks, in line with the Global Digital Compact’s vision of inclusive and accountable digital governance, based on human rights.’ He added: ‘This also means advocating for mandatory human rights due diligence in the design, development, and deployment of AI systems.’

Türk also said the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is launching the Human Rights Data Exchange, which he described as a way to bring together fragmented data on human rights violations and support earlier and more coordinated action. He also referred to a new Global Alliance for Human Rights (GAHRI), which he said seeks to place human rights at the centre of global debate and decision-making.

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OHCHR seeks inputs on protecting human rights defenders in the digital age

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has issued a call for inputs to support a report on how new and emerging technologies are affecting human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, in the digital age.

Issued under Human Rights Council resolution 58/23, the call sought submissions by 31 March 2026 and forms part of a wider effort to examine how digital technologies are reshaping the conditions under which defenders work, communicate, and stay safe.

According to the OHCHR, the report will look at how digital and emerging technologies affect the work, privacy, communications, and security of human rights defenders. The call notes that digital tools have transformed both how defenders operate and the threats they face, with consequences for their safety online and offline.

The questions set out in the call are organised into four broad areas: legislative and regulatory measures, digital communications, privacy restrictions, and corporate responses. The OHCHR specifically asks for information on online safety and cybercrime laws, internet shutdowns, platform attacks, content moderation, surveillance tools, biometric surveillance, encryption, AI-related risks, and how companies assess and respond to harms affecting human rights defenders on their services.

The OHCHR invited member states, civil society, industry, and other stakeholders to submit written inputs in English, French, or Spanish. Those submissions will inform online consultations in April and the preparation of a report to the Human Rights Council under resolution 58/23.

Why does it matter?

Because the call treats the digital environment facing human rights defenders as a governance issue in its own right, rather than only as a technical or security concern. It brings together surveillance, platform accountability, encryption, AI, online harassment, and internet shutdowns under a single human rights framework, while signalling that the OHCHR wants evidence not only on state conduct, but also on how private companies shape civic space in the digital age.

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EU delegation in China calls for sustainable e-commerce and safety standards

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) completed a visit to Beijing and Shanghai to address pressing e-commerce challenges affecting the European single market.

The delegation studied local business models and market supervision frameworks, engaging with Chinese regulators, e-commerce platforms, and the EU company representatives.

The discussions highlighted the surge of parcels from China, which now account for 91% of small shipments to Europe, and the resulting pressures on fair competition.

MEPs stressed that regulatory compliance must be consistent across all operators, ensuring consumer protection is not compromised by disparities in market practices or enforcement gaps.

The delegation urged representatives of e-commerce platforms to implement preventive measures, reinforcing accountability in areas such as product safety, customs compliance, and the removal of unsafe goods from the market.

MEPs underscored that these standards are essential to maintaining a sustainable and secure e-commerce environment for European citizens.

The visit, the first in eight years, demonstrated the EU’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights, strengthening international cooperation, and ensuring digital commerce evolves in a manner that is fair, transparent, and safe for all citizens.

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Call to scrap cookie banners gains traction

A new study argues that cookie consent banners should be scrapped, claiming they fail to protect user privacy and instead create frustration. The research highlights how repeated pop-ups have become a defining feature of the modern internet.

The paper suggests that cookie banners, originally introduced under data protection laws, have led to ‘performative compliance’ rather than meaningful consent. Users often click through notices without understanding them, weakening the purpose of privacy regulation.

Researchers say the system may even normalise data tracking by encouraging habitual acceptance. Instead of improving transparency, the approach risks obscuring how personal data is collected and used across digital platforms.

The study calls for regulators to move beyond banner-based consent towards more effective privacy protections. It argues that current rules may hinder the development of better solutions by giving the impression that the problem has already been addressed.

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UK expands efforts to boost digital inclusion

More than one million people have been helped to get online through a national digital inclusion plan led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The initiative targets groups including older people, jobseekers and rural communities.

The programme has delivered over 22,000 donated devices and funded more than 80 local projects with £11.9 million. Support includes improved connectivity, access to affordable services and training to build essential digital skills.

Efforts also focus on strengthening long-term capabilities, with the government taking control of the national digital skills framework. Updates will reflect changing needs, such as online safety and the growing role of AI in everyday life.

British officials say the plan is helping people find work, manage finances and access services more easily. Further expansion is expected as authorities work with industry and charities to reach more communities.

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