Session
Human Rights & Freedoms
Technology in International Human Rights Law
Organizer 1: Cathrine Bloch Veiberg, 🔒Danish Institute for Human Rights
Speaker 1: Cathrine Bloch Veiberg, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Line Gamrath Rasmussen, Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Isabel Ebert, Intergovernmental Organization, Intergovernmental Organization
Cathrine Bloch Veiberg, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Cathrine Bloch Veiberg, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Cathrine Bloch Veiberg, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Debate - 60 Min
A. What is the role of DFIs when it comes to identifying and addressing human rights risks of their tech related projects and activities?
B. What are the challenges faced by finance actors in providing development finance for digital projects?
C. Which tools and other resources can be used to manage adverse impacts on rightsholders?
What will participants gain from attending this session? During the session the moderator and panelists will pose questions to the audience, and online polls and voting systems will be used to capture input on key questions from the onsite and online participants.
Description:
Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) are publicly funded banks providing financing to the public and private sector that typically have missions to support sustainable development. The larger, multilateral development banks include the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and the Asian Development Bank, along with a wide range of smaller, regional and national development banks. Many DFIs are increasing their financing into areas that encompass significant impacts on digital rights, such as projects related to digital infrastructure and digital innovation to support digital transformations in various markets. To date, such financing decision-making does not include dedicated safeguards for digital rights and the narrative has been predominantly encouraging that the more digital is better.
Yet, as DFIs are expanding their support of the digital economy they are being confronted with increasing human rights risks and impacts embedded in the policies and practices of public and private sector clients.
To date DFIs have adopted environmental and social policies to identify and address environmental and social impacts in projects financed. However, very few DFI have updated its policies for the digital age, and many there is a lack of specific requirements or even guidance to identify, address and mitigate potential and actual impacts on digital rights. Few civil society organisations working on digital rights have turned their attention to DFIs. And even fewer DFIs are currently working on further unpacking and acting on their role and responsibilities to address these risks.
Outcome report as well as further sharing and disseminating existing resources.
Hybrid Format: Questions will be asked to the panel by the moderators and the moderators will monitor for questions from in-person and online participants.