Page 294 - United Nations Activities on Artificial Intelligence (AI) 2024

United Nations Activities on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 10 – Reduced Inequality; SDG 16
– Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; SDG 17 – Partnership for the Goals
• Partnership(s)/Collaborator(s):
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• Relevant Links and Multimedia: https:// www .unhcr .org/ handbooks/ nformation ntegrity/
i
and https:// www .unhcr .org/ innovation/ using -social -media -in -community -based
-protection/
• Lesson Learned:
o UNHCR has taken proactive steps to address information risks: In 2023, UNHCR
launched its Information Integrity workstream to tackle these challenges, forming a
key part of its Digital Transformation Strategy under the Digital Protection pillar.
o Digital channels present both opportunities and risks: While digital platforms offer
new avenues for forcibly displaced and stateless people to access information and
services, they also introduce significant risks to protection and humanitarian action.
o AI tools contribute to the erosion of information integrity: Artificial Intelligence
is increasingly used to generate and spread manipulated information, while
simultaneously suppressing trusted sources, facts, and testimony through algorithmic
bias.
o Information integrity is critical to protection and humanitarian response: The erosion
of trustworthy information in the digital space poses growing threats to the protection
of people forced to flee and to the effectiveness of humanitarian efforts.
o Trust in AI-generated information is difficult to establish: In volatile humanitarian
contexts, the challenge of determining the trustworthiness of AI-generated content
complicates decision-making and can undermine response efforts.
o Understanding digital information behavior is essential: Gaining insight into
how people interact with the evolving information ecosystem—especially during
emergencies—is vital for ensuring informed and safe decision-making.
o Field-based pilots provide valuable models: The workstream has supported practical
projects in nine UNHCR field operations across three regions, including the Rohingya
context, offering scalable models for future field activities.
o Ethical AI use is imperative: Given UNHCR’s experience and leadership in AI,
it is essential to promote and operationalize the ethical use of AI in combating
misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech.
• Contact information: Gisella Lomax LOMAXG@ unhcr .org ; Katie Drew DREW@ unhcr .org

Project 7: Virtual Legal Assistant (VLA) for UNHCR Rights Mapping and Analysis Tool
(RIMAP)

• Project Description: Asylum seekers and other people in need of international protection
often face significant barriers in accessing timely and accurate legal support, which can
delay their ability to secure rights and protections and legal status as refugees. Lawyers
and humanitarian workers are overwhelmed by the volume of legal queries and the
complexity of legal instruments, leading to delays. In addition to this, restrictive legal
frameworks and lack of resources in the legal system further complicate the provision
of legal aid, making it difficult for asylum seekers and refugees to navigate their legal
rights. In order to tackle these challenges, UNHCR has developed the Rights Mapping
and Analysis Platform (RiMAP), a publicly available web-based initiative designed to
centralize comprehensive legal and policy information related to forcibly displaced and
stateless populations. To enhance RiMAP, UNHCR is integrating an internal Virtual Legal
Assistant (VLA) powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). This initiative aims to facilitate legal
data collection, improve policy analysis, and make this information more accessible
to internal users. The VLA will process and analyze large volumes of legal documents,
including laws, policies, and narrative reports, from national legal libraries and websites
pertaining to all UN countries and territories. By leveraging AI, the VLA will enable UNHCR

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