Category: Russia

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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February 19, 2026 Human rights

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is convinced that without urgently creating protective mechanisms, artificial intelligence could exacerbate inequality and bias on the planet. Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Volker Türk told the UN News Service that technology must be regulated within a human rights-based approach that ensures transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness.

Volker Türk: Artificial intelligence is a technological tool, and its development should be based on a risk assessment. It is essential to have rules within which AI is developed, designed, and applied, and it is at this stage that human rights should be emphasized.

UN News Service: What do you see as the most serious risks to human rights in the context of the rapid spread of AI?

Volker Türk: Inequality is a huge problem. That's why I'm glad this summit is taking place in India. It's crucial that such tools are used and developed everywhere.

There's also the issue of bias and discrimination. If data is collected only in one part of the world, or if AI is developed exclusively by men, unconscious bias is inevitably built into the system. We believe it's crucial to consider the interests of vulnerable groups and minorities, as they are often excluded from AI development processes. This is about active participation and a vision for a better world. Human rights provide that vision.

UN News Service: Generative AI is advancing faster than regulation. What protective measures should governments and companies urgently implement?

Volker Türk: Take the pharmaceutical industry for example: testing [of new drugs] usually takes a very long time because it is necessary to ensure that all risks associated with a new product are identified before it is launched on the market.

When it comes to AI tools, we must require companies to conduct human rights impact assessments during the development, implementation, and marketing stages of the product.

When it comes to AI tools, we must require companies to conduct human rights impact assessments during the development, implementation, and marketing stages of the product.

We see that some companies' budgets exceed those of small countries. If you control technology not only in your own country but globally, you wield power. This power can be used for good—for example, to improve healthcare, education, and sustainable development. But it can also be used for evil—to create lethal autonomous weapons, spread disinformation, hatred, and aggressive misogyny.

UN News Service: What AI governance mechanisms are needed to prevent bias and inequality from worsening?

Volker Türk: I've had the opportunity to speak with people who create artificial intelligence systems. I'm struck by how often they have a very superficial understanding of the fundamental principles when they begin development. It's like Frankenstein's monster: you create something you don't control from the start. Eventually, the genie escapes from the bottle.

I've had the opportunity to speak with people who create artificial intelligence systems. I'm struck by how often they have a very superficial understanding of the fundamental principles when they begin development.

Failure to consider the risks and potential threats can cause enormous harm. We saw this in Myanmar, where hatred against the Rohingya spread on social media.

It's crucial to consider the interests of all groups in society, especially women and youth, and remember that our consciousness develops differently. We don't want to create dependencies that poison the mind and soul. We also need to understand how destructive disinformation can be: it corrodes the social fabric, creating division and polarization, as everyone begins to live in their own bubble.

We also see a lot of misogyny. Many female politicians tell me they're considering leaving politics because of what they encounter on social media.

UN News: What do you think the responsible use of AI will look like in five years?

Volker Türk: I hope that we will move towards inclusive AI development, where power is no longer concentrated in the hands of a few companies in North America, and where AI development takes into account the richness and diversity of all communities.

I also hope for an inclusive and meaningful approach that will help us address the many challenges facing the modern world. The climate crisis, access to healthcare, education for all—AI could be a fantastic tool for achieving these goals. But if we don't offer a vision for a better future, the world could become even more polarized, and wars could spiral completely out of human control. And that's extremely dangerous.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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February 19, 2026 Sustainable Development Goals

The future of artificial intelligence "cannot be determined by a handful of countries or dependent on the whims of a few billionaires," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, India. He called for the creation of a $3 billion global fund to expand developing countries' access to AI technologies.

Without investment in skills development, data infrastructure, affordable computing power, and inclusive digital ecosystems, many countries risk being left behind in the AI era, the UN chief said.

"Our target is $3 billion. That's less than one percent of a single tech company's annual revenue," Guterres said, calling it "a small price to pay for the spread of AI, which will benefit everyone—including the companies creating these technologies."

The UN's Role in AI Governance

The AI Impact Summit has been held since 2023. This year, the meeting is being held in a country from the Global South for the first time – previously, it was hosted by France, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom.

The Secretary-General emphasized that the UN is taking steps to establish a global AI governance system. Specifically, last year the General Assembly established the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence.

It included 40 leading experts from around the world. Their mission is to provide independent assessments of the risks, opportunities, and social impact of AI.

“AI must belong to everyone,” the UN chief said, calling on governments, the private sector, and civil society to actively support the group’s work.

Potential and risks

Guterres noted that when used responsibly, AI can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by accelerating medical discoveries, expanding access to education, strengthening food security, enhancing climate action, and improving public services.

At the same time, he warned of the risks: without proper regulation AI has the potential to exacerbate inequality, perpetuate bias, and cause harm.

“We need protection mechanisms that ensure human participation and maintain human control and responsibility,” the Secretary-General emphasized.

He also highlighted AI's growing energy and water needs, noting that data center development must transition to clean energy sources and without harming local communities.

"We need to invest in people so that AI enhances human potential, not replaces it," he said.

The Secretary-General stressed the need to protect children and other vulnerable groups from exploitation and abuse.

"No child should be subjected to testing involving the uncontrolled use of AI," he said.

In closing, the UN chief called for the creation of technologies that "improve life and protect the planet," emphasizing: "Let us create AI for everyone that makes dignity the default setting."

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: United Nations – United Nations –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

February 19, 2026 Peace and security

The escalation of Israeli attacks and the forced displacement of Palestinians may indicate ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, according to a report released Thursday by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The report covers the period from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025. It is based on monitoring by OHCHR, as well as information from government sources, other UN entities and non-governmental organizations.

“The intensification of attacks, the systematic destruction of entire neighborhoods, and the denial of humanitarian aid appear to be aimed at permanently altering the demographic structure of Gaza,” the document says. “This, coupled with forced displacements that appear to be aimed at permanently displacing [Palestinians], raises concerns about the existence of ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank.”

Killings, starvation and destruction in Gaza

The report details the ongoing killing of "unprecedented numbers" of civilians by Israeli forces in Gaza, the spread of famine in the enclave, and the destruction of remaining civilian infrastructure—hospitals, schools, and homes. This, the document states, "creates living conditions for Palestinians that are increasingly incompatible with their continued existence in Gaza."

The nature of the deadly attacks in Gaza, according to the report's authors, raises serious concerns that Israeli forces deliberately targeted civilians and objects and carried out attacks in the knowledge that the loss of life, injury or destruction "would be grossly disproportionate to the anticipated military advantage, which constitutes a war crime."

According to Gaza health authorities, which OHCHR has confirmed as reliable, at least 25,594 Palestinians were killed and 68,837 were injured during the reporting period.

Since the fighting began on October 7, 2023, following Hamas attacks on Israel, more than 68,800 Palestinians have been killed and 170,664 injured. The actual death toll is likely higher, as many remain trapped under rubble.

Death by hunger

At least 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, died of starvation in Gaza during the reporting period.

"The situation of famine and malnutrition is a direct result of the actions of the Israeli government," the report states. Its authors emphasize that any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime and may also constitute a crime against humanity if committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population. Furthermore, if committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, it may also constitute genocide.

Use of force in the West Bank

In the occupied West Bank, the report documents the systematic, unlawful use of force by the Israeli military, "including the continued use of means and methods designed for warfare," large-scale arbitrary arrests, torture and other ill-treatment of Palestinians in custody, and the destruction of property. These actions were used "to systematically discriminate against, suppress, control, and dominate the Palestinian people."

The report also noted alarming instances of disproportionate use of violence by Palestinian Authority security forces, including major military operations against individuals wanted by Israel.

Hostages as a tool of pressure

During the reporting period, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups continued to hold Israeli and foreign hostages captured on October 7, 2023, as well as the bodies of those who died or were killed in captivity, as a means of pressure.

“Previously released videos and public testimonies from released hostages indicate sexual and other gender-based violence, torture and other forms of ill-treatment, including beatings, prolonged detention underground, deprivation of food, water and access to toilets,” the report says.

It is noted that the taking of hostages and their treatment in this manner “violates numerous provisions of international humanitarian law and constitutes war crimes.”

Impunity and inaction

The report also describes a "pervasive climate of impunity" for gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by Israeli authorities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. No significant steps have been taken to ensure accountability, the document states.

"Impunity is not an abstraction; it kills. Accountability is indispensable. It is a necessary condition for a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

A Call for Justice

Among its recommendations, the report calls on all states to "cease the sale, transfer and supply of arms, ammunition and other military equipment to Israel" that facilitate violations and crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The report's authors noted ongoing efforts to advance the US-led Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza, but the lack of any steps to ensure accountability for violations committed after October 7, 2023, "remains a critical gap," they said.

The document emphasizes that "justice for the victims must be at the core of Gaza's reconstruction." Its authors called on states to ensure the immediate participation of Palestinians in the Strip's governance structures so that they can determine and shape the enclave's reconstruction process.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.