CHR emphasizes human rights in AI governance
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has underscored that the many benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) must not come at the expense of workers’ rights. In a clear statement, the CHR called for robust legal frameworks to guide the development and regulation of AI, ensuring technologies enhance human dignity, freedom, and equality rather than erode them.
As AI technologies increasingly shape daily life and work, the CHR insisted that progress be anchored in democratic principles, ethical considerations, and international human rights standards. The commission stressed that AI should be deployed to uphold essential rights, including security of tenure, protection against unemployment, privacy, non-discrimination, and freedom of expression.
Workers’ rights at the center of AI policy
Central to the CHR’s position is the safeguarding of the right to gain a living through freely chosen work. Citing Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which the Philippines has ratified, the CHR reminded the state of its obligation to protect workers from status-quo threats posed by autonomous systems, algorithmic hiring, and automated management practices that could undermine job security or fair treatment.
“Embedding a human rights-based approach in AI governance ensures that technological progress does not undermine the people’s full enjoyment of their inherent rights,” the CHR noted. This call aligns with a broader international push to ensure that AI tools improve working conditions, enable fair redress, and support workers’ voices in governance processes.
Privacy, non-discrimination, and freedom of expression under AI scrutiny
Beyond employment protections, the CHR highlighted concerns around privacy, discrimination, and freedom of expression. Without clear safeguards, AI systems can perpetuate biases in hiring, compensation, and performance evaluations. They can also enable pervasive surveillance or data misuse that infringes on personal autonomy and privacy rights enshrined in relevant national laws, including data privacy statutes and cybercrime prevention measures.
The CHR urged policymakers to ensure that AI systems are transparent, auditable, and accountable. This includes requiring explainability in automated decisions, avenues for redress when rights are violated, and ongoing impact assessments to detect and mitigate harm to marginalized groups.
Towards a Magna Carta for Responsible AI
To consolidate AI-related measures, the CHR recommended the development of a foundational Magna Carta for Responsible AI. Such legislation would codify core principles—human rights, transparency, multi-stakeholder participation, and alignment with international standards—and translate them into concrete norms for how AI is designed, deployed, and governed in law and practice.
The Magna Carta would serve as a central framework for future AI regulations, ensuring that innovations do not outpace protection of workers and citizens. It would also facilitate cross-border cooperation and compatibility with international human rights instruments, reflecting the universal nature of the rights at stake.
Implications for policy and practice
<pPolicy-makers are urged to engage a broad range of stakeholders, including workers, unions, civil society, industry, and the tech community, in the drafting of AI governance rules. Transparent processes, robust impact assessments, and periodic reviews can help adapt protections to rapidly evolving technologies while preserving public trust.
Ultimately, the CHR’s position highlights a simple but critical truth: technological advancement should elevate human rights, not erode them. By anchoring AI governance in legal frameworks and international standards, countries can foster innovation while ensuring workers’ rights, privacy, and freedom are defended in the digital age.
