Nighat Dad, Executive Director of the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), has been appointed to the United Nations Secretary-General’s high-level advisory board on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Night Dad will be part of the 39-member board, comprising global experts, will focus on global AI governance and is expected to release interim recommendations by the end of the year.
Privileged to be included in the UN Secretary General @antonioguterres High-Level Advisory Body on AI alongside distinguished individuals from around the world. Looking forward to address one of the most critical issues of our age: global governance of AI https://t.co/pGeuwVt99e pic.twitter.com/fkRQKu1GZ2
— Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) October 26, 2023
It will address international AI governance, generative AI, and understanding the risks of AI technologies. The board will also explore how AI can help achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Nighat Dad’s inclusion brings a human rights perspective and the voice of marginalized communities to the discussions. The UN aims to harness AI for positive global impact, emphasizing responsible use and accessibility.
🙌 ہم @NighatDad ایگزیکٹو ڈائریکٹر @DigitalRightsPK کو اقوام متحدہ کی مصنوعی ذہانت پر اعلیٰ سطحی مشاورتی باڈی کا ممبر بننے پر مبارکباد پیش کرتے ہیں۔
یہ اقدام @AntonioGuterres کی طرف سے شروع کیا گیا ہے اور یہ مصنوعی ذہانت کو کنٹرول کرنے کے لیے بین الاقوامی کوششوں کی حمایت کرے گا۔ pic.twitter.com/31Yhf1KZ5w
— United Nations Pakistan – اقوام متحدہ پاکستان (@UNinPak) October 27, 2023
Speaking with Thenews.com.pk, Dad highlighted how her role in the body is as a global expert, specifically bringing a human rights perspective into the debate and deliberation while they look into a better governance system of AI globally.
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“But I think it is good that the perspective of countries like Pakistan and the global majority will be part of these deliberations, so the conversation won’t be dominated by only the Global North or white people, but also by ourselves as well, bringing realities of our own region and countries,” she said.
Nighat Dad:
Nighat Dad, a Pakistani lawyer and Internet activist, is the founder of the non-profit organization Digital Rights Foundation (DRF). Her work in the field of IT security has garnered numerous international awards.
Born in 1981 in Lahore, she hails from a village in Punjab’s Jhang district. She pursued her education at the University of the Punjab in Lahore, earning a degree in law. Nighat Dad practices as a lawyer, specializing in criminal and family law.
In 2012, she established the Digital Rights Foundation and served as its executive director. Her work primarily involved educating Pakistani internet users, particularly women, on how to protect themselves from online harassment. Notably, Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate attended workshops conducted by Nighat Dad before being shot by the Taliban in October 2012.
MediaBites extends heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Nighat Dad, a prominent figure in the digital media, as she assumes the role of Member of the Advisory Board on AI at the United Nations. While this journey may present its challenges, we have full confidence that her exceptional qualities and professional expertise will lead to success in her new position at the United Nations.
