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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.

• BUS: Business Sectors
• ENV: Environmental and Energy
• FIN: Financial Services
• GOV: Government and Public Sector
• HLTH: Healthcare and Public Health
• INTL: International Organizations and Relations
• REG: Regulatory and Oversight Bodies
• SOC: Social Services and Housing
• 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 #

U.N. Charter(1945) #

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

Preamble

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

Human dignity refers to the inherent worth and respect that every individual possesses, irrespective of their status, identity, or achievements. In the context of artificial intelligence (AI), dignity emphasizes the need for AI systems to be designed, developed, and deployed in ways that respect, preserve, and even enhance this intrinsic human value. While many existing AI ethics guidelines reference dignity, they often leave it undefined, highlighting instead its close relationship to human rights and its role in avoiding harm, forced acceptance, automated classification, and unconsented interactions between humans and AI. Fundamentally, dignity serves as a cornerstone of ethical AI practices, requiring systems to prioritize human well-being and autonomy. The preservation of dignity in AI systems places significant ethical responsibilities on developers, organizations, and policymakers. Developers play a pivotal role in ensuring that AI technologies respect privacy and autonomy by safeguarding personal data and avoiding manipulative practices. Bias mitigation is another critical responsibility, as AI systems must strive to eliminate discriminatory outcomes that could undermine the dignity of individuals based on race, gender, age, or other characteristics. Furthermore, transparency and accountability in AI operations are essential for upholding dignity, as they provide mechanisms to understand and address the impacts of AI systems on individuals and communities. Governance and legislation are equally important in safeguarding human dignity in the AI landscape. New legal frameworks and regulations can mandate ethical development and deployment practices, with a focus on protecting human rights and dignity. Government-issued technical and methodological guidelines can provide developers with clear standards for ethical AI design. Additionally, international cooperation is essential to establish a unified, global approach to AI ethics, recognizing the cross-border implications of AI technologies. By embedding dignity into AI systems and governance structures, society can ensure that AI technologies respect and enhance human worth, fostering trust, equity, and ethical innovation.   Recommended Reading Anna Jobin, Marcello Ienca, and Effy Vayena. "The Global Landscape of AI Ethics Guidelines." Nature Machine Intelligence 1 (2019): 389–399.    

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and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and

to establish conditions under which Justice

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and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and

to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger Freedom

Freedom means having the autonomy to make choices and act without undue interference or coercion from others. In the context of artificial intelligence (AI) and human rights, it highlights each person’s right to self-determination and control over their own life and personal data, even as AI systems increasingly influence our daily decisions. Freedom is a cornerstone of human rights and a foundational principle in AI ethics, ensuring that technology upholds individual autonomy rather than undermining it. The rise of AI has a direct impact on fundamental freedoms—from freedom of expression online to the right to privacy—making it crucial that AI is developed and used in ways that respect and protect these rights. Legal frameworks worldwide recognize these freedoms; for example, data protection laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) give individuals more control over their personal information, reinforcing their freedom from unwarranted surveillance or data misuse. In practice, this means AI systems should be designed to empower users—allowing people to access information, form opinions, and make choices without being manipulated or unjustly restricted by algorithms.  

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,

Universal Declaration of Human Rights(1948) #

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

Article 25

1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to Security

Security in artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the principle that AI systems must be designed to resist external threats and protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and functionality. Security ensures AI systems are safeguarded against unauthorized access, manipulation, or exploitation, maintaining trust and reliability in AI technologies. This principle is particularly critical in sensitive domains such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, where vulnerabilities can have far-reaching consequences. Effective AI security emphasizes proactive measures, such as testing system resilience, sharing information about cyber threats, and implementing robust data protection strategies. Techniques like anonymization, de-identification, and data aggregation reduce risks to personal and sensitive information. Security by design—embedding security measures at every stage of an AI system’s lifecycle—is a cornerstone of this principle. This includes deploying fallback mechanisms, secure software protocols, and continuous monitoring to detect and address potential threats. These measures not only protect AI systems but also foster trust among users and stakeholders by ensuring their safe and ethical operation. Challenges to achieving AI security include the increasing complexity of AI models, the sophistication of cyber threats, and the need to balance security with transparency and usability. As AI technologies often operate across borders, international cooperation is essential to establish and enforce global security standards. Collaborative efforts among governments, private sector actors, and civil society can create unified frameworks to address cross-border threats and ensure the ethical deployment of secure AI systems. Ultimately, the principle of security safeguards individual and organizational assets while upholding broader societal trust in AI. By prioritizing security in design, deployment, and governance, developers and policymakers can ensure AI technologies serve humanity responsibly and reliably. For Further Reading Fjeld, Jessica, Nele Achten, Hannah Hilligoss, Adam Nagy, and Madhulika Srikumar. “Principled Artificial Intelligence: Mapping Consensus in Ethical and Rights-Based Approaches to Principles for AI.” Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Research Publication No. 2020-1, January 15, 2020.

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in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his Control

Fjeld, Achten, Hilligoss, Nagy, Srikumar write, “Control over the use of data” as a principle stands for the notion that data subjects should have some degree of influence over how and why information about them is used. Certain other principles under the privacy theme, including “consent,” “ability to restrict processing,” “right to rectification,” and “right to erasure” can be thought of as more specific instantiations of the control principle since they are mechanisms by which a data subject might exert control. Perhaps because this principle functions as a higher-level articulation, many of the documents we coded under it are light in the way of definitions for “control.” Citation Fjeld, Jessica, Nele Achten, Hannah Hilligoss, Adam Nagy, and Madhulika Srikumar. “Principled Artificial Intelligence: Mapping Consensus in Ethical and Rights-Based Approaches to Principles for AI.” Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Research Publication No. 2020-1. January 15, 2020.  

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International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination(1965) #

G.A. Res. 2106 A (XX), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, U.N. Doc. A/RES/2106 A(XX) (Dec. 21, 1965)

Article 5

In compliance with the fundamental obligations laid down in article 2 of this Convention, States Parties
undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of
everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to Equality

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before the law,
notably in the enjoyment of the following rights:

(e) Economic, social and cultural rights, in particular:

(iii) The right to housing;

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

G.A. Res. 2200A (XXI), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, U.N. Doc. A/6316 (1966), 993 U.N.T.S. 3 (Dec. 16, 1966)

Article 11

1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international cooperation based on free Consent

Consent is the ethical, professional, and legal commitment to ensure that a person gives their free and informed permission for a specific action or use, such as data collection and automated decision-making. Informed consent is a legal term that extends this principle by requiring AI companies to educate their users about risks, benefits, and alternatives available to them. Consent is innately related to the human right to privacy, specifically, the ability for a person to maintain their agency over data use, such as restricting processing, requesting rectification, and exercising their right to data erasure. Special attention is needed to ensure AI respects human autonomy and prevents coercion or manipulation. Legally, regulations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) require consent to be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. Ethically, informed consent helps companies build trustworthy AI, build a loyal customer base, and prevent manipulative and coercive practices that can cause people real harm. As AI advances and becomes more pervasive in society, developers across sectors must empower individuals to understand their options and customize their permissions. AI companies and the regulators that monitor them are responsible for ensuring the public remains knowledgeable about navigating AI’s growing influence on their lives.  

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Recommended Reading Jessica Fjeld, Nele Achten, Hannah Hilligoss, Adam Nagy, and Madhulika Srikumar. "Principled Artificial Intelligence: Mapping Consensus in Ethical and Rights-Based Approaches to Principles for AI." Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, Research Publication No. 2020-1, January 15, 2020.    

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2. The States Parties to the present Covenant, recognizing the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger, shall take, individually and through international co-operation, the measures, including specific programmes, which are needed:

(a) To improve methods of production, conservation and distribution of food by making full use of technical and scientific knowledge, by disseminating knowledge of the principles of nutrition and by developing or reforming agrarian systems in such a way as to achieve the most efficient development and utilization of natural resources;

(b) Taking into account the problems of both food-importing and food-exporting countries, to ensure an equitable distribution of world food supplies in relation to need.