Vienna, Austria – 14 November 2024 – In response to the increasingly central role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in combating organized crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling, the GLO.ACT Women’s Network of Gender Champions hosted an introductory seminar titled “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence Innovation in Law Enforcement,” in collaboration with INTERPOL and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), through its Centre for AI and Robotics.
This seminar introduced the ‘Toolkit for Responsible AI Innovation in Law Enforcement’, jointly developed by INTERPOL and UNICRI, with the financial support of the European Union, which provided a great opportunity to build valuable synergies between EU-funded initiatives.
Dr. Ibtisam Aziz, Chairperson of the GLO.ACT Women’s Network, opened the session underscoring how this event builds on a previous workshop on cyber-enabled trafficking, addressing the growing interest of network members to learn more about the emerging importance of AI in criminal justice responses to organized crime.
Julie Tomaszewski, Innovation and Technology Officer at INTERPOL, and Inês Gonçalves Ferreira, Associate Programme Management Officer at UNICRI then proceeded to provide a breakdown of the different elements of the AI Toolkit, also discussing how to balance the immense opportunities presented by AI innovation with the associated risks.
Julie Tomaszewski noted that, “AI technologies are revolutionizing law enforcement work, becoming integral to modern policing. However, if not used responsibly, they could seriously undermine public trust and institutional credibility, which are central to effective policing.” Inês Gonçalves Ferreira further explained that “In line with globally relevant principles derived from AI ethics, law and police codes of conduct, AI systems therefore need to be integrated in such a way that they fully respect the law, protect human rights, minimize harm to people, uphold human autonomy, promote fairness, and ensure good governance.”
Building on this, interactive elements of the seminar were centred around a hypothetical scenario which illustrated how challenges and limitations can play out in practice. The seminar benefitted from the active involvement of participants, as well as discussions around how the principles of responsible AI innovation could have circumvented the issues faced in the hypothetical case study.
As the GLO.ACT Women’s Network continues to adapt to new realities, namely the ever-evolving landscape of new and emerging technologies, this seminar set a solid foundation for understanding the challenges and opportunities posed by AI. By providing guidance on how law enforcement agencies can responsibly institutionalize AI, participants are well-equipped to advocate for implementing responsible AI innovation practices in their respective institutions.
The event was joined by over 60 Women’s Network members and practitioners from GLO.ACT partner countries, representing law enforcement, the judiciary, civil society, and international organizations. In closing, Emmanuelle Kunigk, UNODC Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement Expert, thanked both INTERPOL and UNICRI for facilitating this more than timely event, underlining that the high levels of engagement by participants are a clear indication of the relevance and interest in this seminar.
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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is implementing the European Union-(EU) funded PROTECT initiative within the framework of GLO.ACT across Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. This initiative also addresses challenges in the broader Central Asia region, including the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, with a primary focus on enhancing the effectiveness of responses to trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM), particularly in relation to criminal justice. Meanwhile, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is responsible for implementing the PROTECT initiative in Afghanistan (specifically through virtual MRC Afghanistan), Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Their primary objectives include improving gender-sensitive and rights-based migration governance at the national level and establishing Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs).
The project is funded by the European Union.
For more information, please contact:
Martin Reeve (Mr.), Coordinator, GLO.ACT, Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section, UNODC
Email: martin.reeve@un.org
Golda Myra ROMA (Ms.), Senior Project Manager, ICMPD Silk Routes Region – Budapest Process
Email: Golda.Roma@icmpd.org
