News

Seizing the Opportunities of Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development

By Renee Dopplick, International Law Committee Co-Chair; UNA-NCA Board of Directors (2017-2023)

In a major win for responsible AI development, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution on March 21, 2024, titled “Seizing the Opportunities of Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Systems for Sustainable Development.” Led by the United States, the resolution marks a significant step towards harnessing the power of AI for positive global impact, respecting human rights, and bridging the digital divide by enabling developing countries to participate in AI development. The resolution's emphasis on safe, secure, and human-centric AI development elevates the priority of responsible AI global governance and creates a ripple effect to help empower the use of AI for everyone, everywhere.

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Coverage of UNA-NCA's CSW68 Parallel Event

On March 20th UNA-NCA hosted a UN CSW parallel event discussing the U.S. Rejoining UNESCO and the Future of Women and Girls Education. The discussion touched on the history of the U.S. funding of UNESCO and the importance of ensuring congress meets our funding commitments to the UN and the essential nature of UNESCO in preserving culture heritage and history, as well as supporting education to women and girls. The speakers discussed ongoing programs that support girls education in Africa and African diaspora (through the UN Office of Human Rights Program for People of African Descent) which we've previously highlighted in our programming at UNA-NCA.

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By Katherine Marshall, UNA-NCA Board of Directors; Senior Fellow, Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University; and Executive Director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue at Georgetown University

Among the many sessions during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council (26 February to 5 April 2024), two that I attended centered on responding to different forms of hate speech, especially involving religious symbols. Sharp divides and strong views expressed offered striking evidence of the challenges involved in translating core principles of human rights into practice in our deeply polarized world.

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Women, Law, and Development Discussion & Reception

By Kate Lovas, UNA-NCA Human Rights Committee Co-Chair

This International Women’s Day, George Washington University Law School, in partnership with the Embassies of the African Union, Spain, and Denmark, and other collaborators from the region like ARPA International Law Group held a discussion surrounding women, law, and development in Africa. Discussants along with Ambassadors Hilda Suka-Mfaduze, Mathilde Mukantabana, and Ángeles Moreno Bau were able to highlight the actions of their countries to further women’s rights and UNA NCA’s Board member and Human Rights Committee Chair, Leila Hanafi, moderated the session.

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UNA-NCA launches North America’s inaugural Model-ILO conference on Combating Violence and Harassment in the Workplace

By Himaja Balusa, Global Education Coordinator

Global Classrooms-DC (GCDC), the flagship education program of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA), launched its pilot Model-ILO conference on February 23rd at the Marshall Center in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office of the United States and Canada, and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

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Department of State Human Rights Council's 55th Session Readout

Five members of the UNA-NCA attended a U.S. Department of State-hosted virtual call with civil society organizations ahead of the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council which will take place in Geneva from February 26 to April 5, 2024. The call allowed individuals and organizations an opportunity to engage directly with DOS leadership on a range of human rights-related topics. Deputy Assistant Secretaries Allison Lombardo and Allison Peters took questions from the attendees and stressed the importance of these types of discussions, saying that these public events (that are open to civil society organizations and U.S. citizens but closed to journalists) help them form their priority-setting and goals upon their arrival in Geneva.

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UNA-NCA Statement

In honor of Black History Month, UNA-NCA reaffirms its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 10 to Reduce Inequalities. We support the SDG policies that promote equality for people of African descent, across the national capital area and throughout our nation.

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Resolution Ensuring Equality, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
for Africans and People of African Descent

The United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, in furtherance of the organization’s support for the United Nations Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, hereby:

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Past-Board Chair of UNA-NCA

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Humbling is the best way to characterize your observations. The achievements you describe are not mine but ours together.

And it is now time for you, individually and collectively, to carry them into the future of an ever more sustainable UN Association of the National Capital Area.

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Blog Post by Graduate Fellows Program Alumna

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