Dec 03 2020
Past event

The Glion Human Rights Dialogue 2020 (‘Glion VII’): ‘Human rights in the digital age: making digital technology work for human rights’

The Glion Human Rights Dialogue is a retreat bringing together around seventy senior policy-makers and other stakeholders in an informal, non-attributable, digital setting designed to promote open, forward-looking and solutions-oriented debate. This year’s Dialogue, which was organised by the Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the URG, in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Fiji, Iceland, Mexico, the Seychelles, and Thailand, was held from Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th December 2020 on Zoom.

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has major implications for the enjoyment of human rights. Indeed, numerous contemporary human rights challenges are inextricably linked with the growing power of digital technologies, from the spread of online hate speech to attacks on the integrity of democratic elections.

In this context, the UN in general, and the human rights pillar in particular, can play an important role in clarifying universal human rights norms as they pertain to digital technologies. At the same time, ensuring that these technologies respect and work to enhance the enjoyment of human rights around the world requires cooperation between all relevant stakeholders and in particular the building of partnerships between governments, civil society and technology companies.

The Glion Human Rights Dialogue provided a platform for representatives of States, OHCHR, the wider UN, and other key parts of the human rights system such as Special Procedure mandate-holders, members of Treaty Bodies, NHRIs, NGOs, and human rights defenders, to exchange views on the implications of digital technologies for certain categories of human rights, in particular freedom of expression and access to information; political and civil rights, and political participation; and equality and non-discrimination, including in the area of economic, social, and cultural rights.

As always, the outcome of the retreat, and the four policy dialogues held in preparation for the meeting, will be summarised in an informal document presenting some of the key messages, ideas and recommendations, which will seek to encourage and contribute to wider consideration of the issues and will be made available here.

Please find relevant documents below:

A recording of the event will be made available here.

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  • Dec 3rd 2020 - Dec 4th 2020
  • 14:30 - 18:30
  • By invitation only