This statement was delivered by Merrin Ashraf, from IT for Change, on behalf of the Global Digital Justice Forum.
I speak today on behalf of Global Digital Justice Forum, a civil society coalition working advocating global justice principles for the digital
On the thematic clusters, we would like to emphasize a few key priorities.
- Cluster 1 discussions should emphasize a shift to ‘precautionary approach’ in AI development and deployment, safeguards for societal participation towards a just AI transition, mandatory ex-ante risk assessments for high-risk AI systems and corporate and public accountability across the AI supply chain through post-deployment audits
- Cluster 2 should involve discussions on innovative international public financing mechanisms for building digital, data, and AI infrastructure in the Global South in line with the UN Secretary General’s call for urgent financing to build core AI capacities in developing countries.
- Cluster 3 must examine AI from a development perspective—attending to its social, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects. In the age of LLMs, the implications for linguistic diversity and authenticity must be addressed to challenge knowledge colonialism.
- Cluster 4 should further the discussion on GDC’s commitment to uphold international human rights law throughout the AI lifecycle, and the UN Human Rights recommendations including moratoria on procuring and using high-risk AI systems and prohibiting applications incompatible with international human rights law.
Across all clusters, gender equality, the gendered impacts of AI, sustainable development, and enabling conditions for AI commons initiatives should be treated as cross-cutting priorities.
In terms of key outcomes, we believe the Global Dialogue would be successful if there is broad consensus at a minimum on the following:
Under Cluster 1
- Recognizes the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities principle as a ground norm for international AI governance.
Cluster 2
- Recommends establishing an international public financing mechanism to build AI capabilities in the Global South, through a ‘CERN for AI’ – a distributed network of AI research centers, coordinated by a central hub.
Cluster 3
- Eschews voluntary safety commitments and acknowledges the need for binding public accountability standards in the development and deployment of AI.
- Calls for a gender equality perspective in AI innovation and pledges zero tolerance for sexual/gender-based violence resulting from AI systems.
Cluster 4
- Underscores the need for states to respect, protect and promote human rights, including due diligence, mitigation and remedy of human rights violations in digital value chains.
Thank you.
The Global Digital Justice Forum is a dynamic coalition that represents a diverse array of civil society stakeholders, including APC. Members of the Forum come from across the Global South, and range from sustainable development organisations, digital rights networks, feminist groups, corporate watchdogs and communication rights campaigners to trade unions and cooperatives. It also works with alliances and like-minded organisations in the North.