Together with our local partner CEDEM, ECNL co-organized and co-hosted a webinar on artificial intelligence (AI) and human rights for Ukrainian civil society on October 5, 2021. The objective of the webinar was twofold:
- raise awareness of the participating organisations and activists of the potential impact of AI on their work and policy areas; and
- mobilize participants to monitor relevant policies and practices and to advocate for their compliance with human rights.
The event is part of the ongoing support ECNL provides to CSOs in Ukraine to better understand the importance of AI and digital technologies on CSOs and civic freedoms. ECNL has partnered with CEDEM to build knowledge in this area so that CSOs are able to engage in the process of development of the policies related to AI in Ukraine and to ensure that those are in line with the human rights standards.
The webinar brought together international and national experts to delve deeper into the connection between AI and human rights. The first presentation, provided by Andrew Strait (Ada Lovelace Institute), explained the various stages of an AI life-cycle, its underlying general policy issues in relation to human rights and potential effective mechanisms in addressing these. In its following sections, the webinar delved deeper into two specific topics: Freedom of Assembly and Smart cities.
Marlena Wisniak (ECNL) explained how AI-driven systems contribute to the restriction of (online) freedom of assembly through for example targeted blocking of content on online platforms, which silences already marginalized and vulnerable communities even more. Another type of restriction to freedom of assembly comes from AI-driven systems that are deployed for surveillance purposes – when deployed on activist communities, it creates a chilling effect on their work, both online and offline. Philip Dawson (digital policy advisor) showcased local decision-making processes to procure AI-driven systems and how such local processes can be used to advocate for protecting human rights in smart cities.
Each expert’s presentation was followed by local experts reflecting on their expertise and current affairs in Ukraine to help bring these topics closer to home and give concrete ideas to participants for possible engagement opportunities.
ECNL believes it is critical that civil society is a driving force and not just an observer of policy and regulatory developments around AI, in Ukraine as much as everywhere else.