Human Rights Expert

Result of Service The Consultant, Human Rights Expert, is envisaged to support UNICRI with reference to the work of its Centre for AI and Robotics on the project ‘Toolkit for Responsible Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Law Enforcement’. The Consultant will support the project team on the implementation of the project, in particular in terms of providing guidance on human rights considerations related to artificial intelligence and law enforcement, ensuring that all resources developed are consistent with international human rights law.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration Max. 44 working days from May-December 2022

Duties and Responsibilities UNICRI is a United Nations entity established in 1968 to support countries worldwide in preventing crime and facilitating criminal justice. UNICRI is mandated to assist intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations in formulating and implementing improved policies in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. UNICRI' s goals are:

• to advance understanding of crime-related problems;
• to foster just and efficient criminal justice systems;
• to support the respect of international instruments and other standards;
• to facilitate international law enforcement cooperation and judicial assistance.

In 2021, UNICRI, through its Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, launched the project ‘Toolkit for Responsible Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Law Enforcement’. The project seeks to fill gaps in terms of guidance and support for law enforcement agencies on the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) through the creation of a toolkit on responsible AI innovation. As a result of the project, law enforcement agencies aiming to develop or already developing AI tools or seeking to procure AI tools from third parties will obtain the necessary knowledge and understanding to enable them to tap into the positive potential of AI. At the same time, by providing overarching principles, requirements and recommendations that promote the lawful and trustworthy use of AI, it is expected that the project will contribute to preventing possible related risks associated with the use of AI and that law enforcement will be in a position to make more informed decisions and deploy AI responsibly.

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit, the incumbent will be performing the following tasks:

• Support the preparation and review of the toolkit, as well as related project materials, with specific focus on the human rights aspects of the resources developed.
• Interact with the toolkit core group of experts established by UNICRI in a prior stage of this project and comprised of law enforcement, academia, private sector and civil society in order to collect insights and feedback to shape the toolkit.
• Engage with other relevant stakeholders for the toolkit, including academia, private sector, civil society, as well as INTERPOL and other relevant entities within the United Nations system and other international organizations.
• Provide substantive technical support on the human rights aspects of AI in law enforcement for the preparation and during virtual discussion rooms organized by UNICRI and INTERPOL, as well as expert consultations with key stakeholders, the 4th INTERPOL-UNICRI Global Meeting on AI for Law Enforcement and other meetings organized under the umbrella of the development and promotion of the toolkit.

• Perform other job-related duties as tasked.

  Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law required. A PhD in a relevant field is desirable. A specialization in digital rights, privacy and data protection is highly desirable.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience working on the application of human rights law in the digital age, in particular with respect to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – compliance and data protection in general, is required. Experience with the human rights aspects of the use of AI and machine learning is desirable. Experience working with or in the context of law enforcement and criminal investigations is an asset.

Language: For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of other official languages of the United Nations is considered an asset.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.