New and emerging digital technologies and human rights

Background

At its forty-first session in June 2019, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 41/11, in which it requested the Advisory Committee to prepare a report, on the possible impacts, opportunities and challenges of new and emerging digital technologies with regard to the promotion and protection of human rights, including mapping of relevant existing initiatives by the United Nations and recommendations on how human rights opportunities, challenges and gaps arising from new and emerging digital technologies could be addressed by the Council and its special procedures and subsidiary bodies in a holistic, inclusive and pragmatic manner, and to present the report to the Council at its forty-seventh session (June 2021).

The Human Rights Council also decided to convene a panel discussion at its forty-fourth session (June 2020) on the impacts, opportunities and challenges of new and emerging digital technologies with regard to the promotion and protection of human rights. Furthermore, it requested the Advisory Committee to present an oral update on its preparation of the above-mentioned report during the panel discussion.

Drafting group

The current members of the drafting group are:

• Ludovic Hennebel
• Xinsheng Liu
• Ajai Malhotra
• Mona Omar
• Elizabeth Salmón (Chair)
• Dheerujlall Seetulsingh
• Changrok Soh (Rapporteur)