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[Insert statement of urgency and significance for why this right relates to AI.]

Sectors #

The contributors of the AI & Human Rights Index have identified the following sectors as responsible for both using AI to protect and advance this human right.

• ART: Arts and Culture
• BUS: Business
• COM: Media and Communication
• DEF: Defense and Military
• EDU: Education and Research
• ENV: Environmental and Energy
• FIN: Financial Services
• GOV: Government and Public Sector
• HLTH: Healthcare and Public Health
• INTL: International Organizations and Relations
• LAW: Legal and Law Enforcement
• REG: Regulatory and Oversight Bodies
• SOC: Social Services and Housing
• TECH: Technology
• TRAN: Transportation and Infrastructure
• WORK: Employment and Labor

AI’s Potential Violations #

[Insert 300- to 500-word analysis of how AI could violate this human right.]

AI’s Potential Benefits #

[Insert 300- to 500-word analysis of how AI could advance this human right.]

Human Rights Instruments #

United Nations Charter (1945) #

U.N. Charter pmbl., 1 U.N.T.S. XVI (June 26, 1945)

“We the Peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the Dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small…”

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) #

G.A. Res. 217 A (III), Universal Declaration of Human Rights, U.N. Doc. A/RES/217 A(III) (Dec. 10, 1948)

Article 2

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as… sex…”

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) #

G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI), U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966), 999 U.N.T.S. 171

Article 3

“The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the present Covenant.”

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) #

G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI), U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966), 993 U.N.T.S. 3.

Article 3

“The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights set forth in the present Covenant.”

Article 7 (a)(i)

Fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value without distinction of any kind, in particular women being guaranteed conditions of work not inferior to those enjoyed by men, with equal pay for equal work.”

Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (1967) #

G.A. Res. 2263 (XXII), U.N. Doc. A/RES/2263 (Nov. 7, 1967)

Article 1

Discrimination against women, denying or limiting as it does their Equality of rights with men, is fundamentally unjust and constitutes an offence against human Dignity.”

Article 2

All appropriate measures shall be taken to abolish existing laws, customs, regulations and practices which are discriminatory against women, and to establish adequate legal protection for equal rights of men and women.”

Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict (1974) #

G.A. Res. 3318 (XXIX), U.N. Doc. A/RES/3318 (Dec. 14, 1974)

Paragraph 6

Women and children belonging to the civilian population shall not be deprived of shelter, food, medical aid or other inalienable rights,

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women New York (1979) #

G.A. Res. 34/180, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, U.N. Doc. A/RES/34/180 (Dec. 18, 1979)

Article 1

For the purposes of the present Convention, the term “discrimination against women” shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of Equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.

Article 5

States Parties shall) “take all appropriate measures: (a) To modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary… practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women.

African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981) #

Article 18, Section 3

“The State shall ensure the elimination of every discrimination against women and also ensure the protection of the rights of women and the child as stipulated in international declarations and conventions.”

Declaration on the Participation of Women in Promoting International Peace and Cooperation (1982) #

G.A. Res. 37/63, U.N. Doc. A/RES/37/63 (Dec. 3, 1982).

Article 1

Women and men have an equal and vital interest in contributing to international peace and co-operation. To this end women must be enabled to exercise their right to participate in the economic, social, cultural, civil and political affairs of society on an equal footing with men.

Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) #

G.A. Res. 48/104, U.N. Doc. A/RES/48/104 (Dec. 20, 1993).

Article 1

For the purposes of this Declaration, the term ‘violence against women’ means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (1997) #

G.A. Res. 52/86, U.N. Doc. A/RES/52/86 (Dec. 12, 1997).

Paragraph 9(a)

Member States are urged… to review, evaluate and revise sentencing policies and procedures in order to ensure that they meet the goals of (i) holding offenders accountable for their acts related to violence against women; (ii) stopping violent behaviour….

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the U.N. Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000) #

G.A. Res. 55/25, U.N. Doc. A/RES/55/25 (Nov. 15, 2000)

Annex II, Preamble

“The States Parties to this Protocol, Declaring that effective action to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, especially women and children, requires a comprehensive international approach in the countries of origin, transit and destination that includes measures to prevent such trafficking, to punish the traffickers and to protect the victims of such trafficking, including by protecting their internationally recognized human rights…”

The Women Peace and Security Agenda (2000) #

S.C. Res. 1325, U.N. Doc. S/RES/1325 (Oct. 31, 2000).

Preamble

Reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building, and stressing the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and Security….

United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) (2010) #

G.A. Res. 65/229, U.N. Doc. A/RES/65/229 (Dec. 21, 2010)

Rule 27

Where conjugal visits are allowed, women prisoners shall be able to exercise this right on an equal basis with men.

The Role of Freedom of Opinion and Expression in Women’s Empowerment (2013) #

H.R.C. Res. 23/2, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/RES/23/2 (June 13, 2013)

Preamble

Reaffirming also that women and men have the right to enjoy, on an equal basis, all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and recognizing that the effective exercise of the right to Freedom of opinion and expression is essential for women’s empowerment….

Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: Report of the Secretary-General (2024) #

U.N. GAOR, 79th Sess., U.N. Doc. A/79/88 (July 1, 2024).

Art. 46.

States also expressed concern regarding Algorithmic Bias in lethal Autonomous Weapons systems, which exacerbated existing power imbalances, disproportionately affected marginalized groups and led to collateral harm to women and children in conflict zones. The importance of rigorous documentation of the Data sets used and of comprehensive Testing and reviews, as well as of training on and of that issue, was stressed” (11/179).

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