The Asia Pacific Forum's Working Group on AI and Human Rights held its first thematic session on 3 September 2026, bringing together National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from across the region to discuss one of the group's most urgent shared priorities: the governance, risks, and safeguards involved in using AI and digital tools within NHRIs themselves.

The session was opened by APF Executive Director Thuy Doan-Smith, who situated the discussion within a broader regional and global context, noting that governance frameworks for AI are being developed unevenly around the world, often faster than human rights safeguards can keep pace, and that national human rights institutions have a distinct role to play in ensuring that this governance is shaped by human rights principles from the outset.

The session's centrepiece was a guided dialogue between Jelena Milutinovic, APF's Partnerships & Development Manager and coordinator of the Working Group, and guest expert Roqaya Dhaif, Human Rights Policy Specialist at UNDP Headquarters in Geneva and co-author of the Digital Readiness Toolkit for NHRIs, published earlier this year in partnership with GANHRI. Drawing on the Toolkit and her work supporting NHRIs directly, Roqaya Dhaif walked members through what governance, risk, and safeguards look like in practice for institutions handling highly sensitive data - from complainants, therefore victims and witnesses’ data, where a breach is not simply a compliance issue but a safety one.

A recurring theme was that governance should come before technology: institutions are best served by establishing clear policy and decision-making elements before adopting new AI tools. A number of baseline safeguards emerged as non-negotiable regardless of an institution's size or resourcing – among them, keeping sensitive data out of external AI tools, ensuring human review of any AI-assisted output, and maintaining backup and continuity plans in case systems fail.

Members also took part in a candid round of experience-sharing, reflecting on where their own institutions currently stand, from dedicated AI leadership roles and early policy development to institutions still navigating the informal, early stages of AI adoption. The discussion underscored just how varied the region's digital readiness is and reaffirmed the Working Group's role as a space for practical, peer-to-peer learning.

Looking ahead, the Working Group will explore a dedicated follow-up session working through the Digital Readiness Toolkit, and findings from this session will feed into a forthcoming practical know-hows for members, part of the APF's efforts to assist NHRIs across the region navigate AI and digital transformation in a way that keeps human rights at the centre.