Geneva, 1 April 2026 – The Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has issued a landmark outcome statement from its 2026 Annual Conference, warning that rapid digitalization is outpacing legal safeguards and institutional oversight, thereby normalizing rights-infringing practices worldwide. Gathering in Geneva, NHRIs from all regions affirmed that international human rights law applies fully online, expressing deep concern over unlawful surveillance, algorithmic discrimination, automated decision-making, and technology-facilitated violence. The statement underscores that digital harms, including gendered abuse, exclusion of vulnerable groups, and environmental damage from AI data centres, disproportionately affect those already facing discrimination, and calls on States to place dignity, equality, transparency, and accountability at the core of all digital transformation efforts.
The outcome statement further stresses that States must adopt comprehensive legal frameworks to prevent digital harms, ensure meaningful human oversight of AI and digital identity systems, and maintain non-digital alternatives to guarantee access to rights for all. It warns against internet shutdowns, misuse of digital tools to silence human rights defenders and journalists, and content moderation policies that enable censorship. Private actors, including very large online platforms and AI developers, are reminded of their responsibility to respect human rights under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including through due diligence, transparency, and accessible remedies. The statement also highlights the need for mandatory human rights impact assessments and stronger coordination between NHRIs, data protection authorities, and other oversight bodies.
In a series of concrete commitments, NHRIs pledge to strengthen their monitoring, advisory, and complaints-handling functions regarding digital technologies, enhance public digital literacy, and deepen cooperation through GANHRI and regional networks. They commit to establishing a dedicated platform for exchange on emerging technologies and call on partners such as the UN Human Rights Office and UNDP to provide sustained technical support. The full statement, including detailed calls to action on AI governance, cross-border accountability, and the protection of civic space online, is available here: https://www.pdhj.tl/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Final-Outcome-Statement-Annual-Conference-GANHRI-2026_EN.pdf
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