HRC49 - NB8 statement - ID w SR on the rights of persons with disabilities

Human Rights Council – 49th session

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

Statement by Norway on behalf of the Nordic Baltic countries

14. March 2022

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Nordic Baltic countries.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for his thematic study on artificial intelligence and the rights of persons with disabilities, which constitutes a groundbreaking contribution to this field.

The report addresses how artificial intelligence and machine-learning technologies can be of benefit to persons with disabilities in several fields, including employment and education. Such technologies can offer positive contributions, particularly in assistive technology.

However, such technologies also present challenges and negative impacts to the rights of persons with disabilities, and the report describes risks the technology constitutes and how these risks can be addressed. For example can artificial intelligence use biased data sets and discriminatory algorithms. [Particularly in the employment domain we have seen increasing use of artificial intelligence tools that can have strong negative impact on persons with disabilities, both when it comes to recruitment and to surveillance of workers.]

We agree with the Special Rapporteur that the balance between human rights risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence system and their use in the context of disability should be debated both at international and national level.

We would like to ask the Special Rapporteur how States can ensure rights of persons with disabilities are protected while designing national artificial intelligence strategies.