NHRIs take on digital challenges to protect human rights
The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) concluded its 2026 Annual Conference with the adoption of an Outcome Statement committing national human rights institutions (NHRIs) to concrete actions to promote and protect human rights in the digital space.
The Conference, held in Geneva on 1 April 2026, brought together NHRIs from 90 countries alongside representatives of OHCHR, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, the European Union, civil society and other partners. The meeting took place at a time when digital technologies are increasingly shaping public policy, public services and civic space, often without sufficient safeguards.
A preparatory survey conducted by GANHRI ahead of the Conference found that NHRIs across regions are already engaging with digital issues through their existing mandates, with recurring concerns around privacy, freedom of expression, equality and non-discrimination, and the implications of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey also revealed strong interest in peer learning and closer cooperation.
A call for rights-based digital transformation
In opening remarks, GANHRI Chairperson Amina Bouayach underscored the responsibility of NHRIs to ensure that human rights must be at the core of the digital transformation. She stressed that the challenges digital technologies pose to human rights are global, and require collective and coordinated responses, grounded in international cooperation.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that while human rights fully apply online, the systems designed to protect them have yet to keep pace. Highlighting threats ranging from AI in military operations to online violence against women, he called for a fundamental shift in how digital technologies are governed. “National human rights institutions are uniquely positioned to be at the helm of this shift,” said Türk.
Human Rights Council President Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro emphasised the essential role of NHRIs as partners of the Council in promoting and protecting human rights in the digital space.
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo, speaking via video message, stressed that in an environment of shrinking civic space and eroding trust in public institutions, NHRIs matter more than ever. He also announced the launch of a Digital Readiness Toolkit for NHRIs developed through the Tripartite Partnership between GANHRI, OHCHR, and UNDP.
NHRIs on the front lines of digital governance
Participants examined how NHRIs are engaging in legislative processes, policy dialogue and the monitoring of emerging technologies such as AI and automated decision-making systems.
The Conference underscored the need for mandatory human rights impact assessments, and stressed that AI use by public authorities must remain subject to clear legal frameworks, meaningful human oversight and independent scrutiny.
Participants highlighted particular concern over the disproportionate impact of digital technologies on groups in vulnerable situations, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence and the need for digital governance frameworks to integrate a gender perspective.
Forward commitments
The Outcome Statement (EN｜FR｜ES｜AR), adopted unanimously by participants, reaffirms that international human rights law applies fully in the digital sphere and calls on States to adopt comprehensive legal and policy frameworks addressing the human rights implications of digital technologies. It commits NHRIs to:
- Strengthen monitoring and reporting on the human rights implications of digital technologies.
- Provide independent expert advice on legislation and regulatory frameworks relating to digital technologies and AI.
- Advocate for legal and institutional frameworks that place human rights at the centre of digital governance.
- Enhance institutional capacity to assess and respond to AI and other emerging technologies.
- Deepen cooperation through GANHRI and regional networks to share experiences and strengthen collective capacity.
The Outcome Statement also calls on partners including OHCHR, UNDP, the European Union and regional organisations to support NHRIs in implementing these commitments.
Other highlights from GANHRI Annual Meeting
Beyond the Conference, the three-day GANHRI Annual Meeting featured several important events, including GANHRI governance meetings and the Knowledge Exchange sessions on protecting the rights of people on the move in transit and at borders.
On 31 March, UNDP, OHCHR and GANHRI jointly launched a new monitoring tool on the right to a healthy environment, developed under the Tripartite Partnership. The tool provides NHRIs with a practical framework for monitoring key elements of the right to a healthy environment and was piloted by the NHRIs of Georgia, Malawi, Paraguay and Samoa.
During their General Assembly, GANHRI members also decided to hold later this year their 15th International Conference in Jordan on the role of NHRIs in addressing climate change and its implications on human rights.
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Editorial note: GANHRI, in cooperation with OHCHR and co-funded by the European Commission through the NHRI.EU project, hosted its 2026 Annual Meeting from 30 March to 1 April at the Palais des Nations, in Geneva. The GANHRI Annual Meeting brought together NHRIs from across the globe, coinciding with the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council. The meeting featured the Annual Conference on “The Role of NHRIs in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in the Digital Space,” and included the GANHRI Bureau meeting, the General Assembly, and Knowledge Exchanges on People on the Move. Photos from the event are available here.