Human Rights in the Digital Age: Balancing AI, Technology, and Governance in Smart Cities

Topic

As digital technologies and AI increasingly shape the infrastructure and governance of urban settings and impact people’s lives in cities, safeguarding human rights becomes a central challenge. Without proper regulation, the widespread use of AI and other technologies risks infringing on fundamental rights and exacerbating inequality and discrimination.

Various multilateral initiatives seek to regulate AI. The UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on AI released its final report outlining “a blueprint for addressing AI-related risks and sharing its transformative potential globally.” At the Summit of the Future, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future, which includes a Global Digital Compact for global cooperation to harness the potential of digital technology and close digital divides. UN-Habitat, through Resolution HSP/HA.2/Res.1, has been tasked with developing International Guidelines on People-Centered Smart Cities to ensure sustainable, inclusive, and human rights-respecting technologies in urban governance.

The Council of Europe adopted an international instrument in 2024 to guide the development, design, and application of AI systems.

In Geneva, the recently adopted UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Local Government and Human Rights (A/HRC/RES/57/12) emphasizes the critical role of local governments in embedding human rights in digital infrastructure and AI regulation in urban settings. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) also contributes by setting standards and promoting sustainable smart city development. Its Guide for smart and sustainable city leaders outlines a strategy for sustainable local digital transformation.

This workshop will explore how human rights protection intersects with AI use and innovation, focusing on regulatory frameworks and ethical considerations. Key focus areas will include the roles of ITU standards and UN Human Rights Council resolutions in ensuring people-centered smart city technologies that prioritize human rights.

Workshop Modality and Kick-Off Speakers

The workshop will begin with kick-off speakers, each presenting for 3-5 minutes, offering key insights. Afterward, participants will be invited to share their perspectives in a dynamic discussion.

• Jovan Kurbalija – Head of the Geneva Internet Platform
• Sharon Weinblum – Counselor – Delegate General of Wallonia-Brussels, Permanent Mission of Belgium to the UN in Geneva
• Woohyun Kang – Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the UN in Geneva
• Olivier Alais – Program Coordinator for Technology and Human Rights, International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
• Tim Engelhardt – Human Rights Officer, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Moderator

Kamelia Kemileva – Co-Director of the Global Cities Hub

Partners

Global Cities Hub, Geneva Internet Platform

Panelists discuss AI, technology, and human rights in smart cities. Left to right: Olivier Alais, Woohyun Kang, Kamelia Kemileva

Panelists at the Geneva Human Rights Platform workshop. Left to right: Olivier Alais, Woohyun Kang, Kamelia Kemileva, Tim Engelhardt, Sharon Weinblum, Jovan Kurbalija.