HIBAPRESS – Abdellatif Baraka
Amina Bouayach, President of the National Human Rights Council and President of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, called for strengthening international advocacy to establish universal protection of human rights in light of the rapid transformations imposed by artificial intelligence and digital spaces.
This came during her opening, this morning in Rabat, the works of the seventh conference of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in French-speaking countries, held over two days (December 16 and 17), with the participation of institutions and experts from several countries. Bouayach affirmed that the dominance of giant technology companies in designing and operating artificial intelligence systems may lead to prioritizing private interests at the expense of fundamental rights, which threatens the core of the human rights system and affects wide segments of societies. She stressed that protecting rights and human dignity remains a universal priority that requires stronger and more comprehensive international advocacy. The speaker highlighted the need to ensure fair and equitable access to advanced technologies, especially for developing countries and the countries of the South, considering that artificial intelligence is capable of contributing to the promotion of fundamental rights, including the right to health and education, especially for vulnerable groups, but the gap in access to these technologies still exists, especially in Africa. In contrast, Bouayach warned that the negative effects of artificial intelligence systems transcend national borders and pose a global threat to rights and freedoms, which requires a global approach to protection that does not distinguish between geographical areas or levels of development. The President of the National Human Rights Council concluded by emphasizing the pivotal role of national human rights institutions, which are affiliated with regional networks and a global alliance that includes institutions from more than 120 countries, in leading this international advocacy to preserve human dignity and guarantee universal rights in the digital age.
