BD leads UNHRC in adopting first resolution on AI, HR

Bangladesh played a leading role as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Wednesday adopted by consensus its first-ever resolution dedicated specifically to artificial intelligence (AI) and human rights.

Titled “Implications of Artificial Intelligence for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights,” the resolution was adopted during the ongoing 63rd session of the UNHRC in Geneva, with Bangladesh serving as the penholder.

Guided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the initiative was first presented before the Council in August 2026 by former ambassador and Permanent Representative Nahida Sobhan on behalf of the Core Group.

Since then, the group has conducted consultations with member states and relevant stakeholders through what Bangladesh described as an open, inclusive and constructive process.

The consensus adoption places the rapidly evolving relationship between AI and human rights more firmly within the Council’s deliberative and normative framework, with particular emphasis on human dignity, development, inclusion and international cooperation. 

The development also marks a notable step in Bangladesh’s multilateral engagement on emerging technologies, development and human rights, as AI increasingly raises legal and policy questions concerning accountability, discrimination, privacy, freedom of expression and access to technology.