Artificial Intelligence and Potential Impacts on Human Rights in India

Deadline: 28-Jun-21

UNDP is requesting proposals for Artificial Intelligence and Potential Impacts on Human Rights in India to enable Sustainable Economic Development in the region, through the Protect, Respect, and Remedy Framework of the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business & Human Rights (BHR).

The project promotes the agenda on BHR by working with Asian governments, businesses and civil society in the implementation of the UNGPs at the national level. The overall objective of the project is to prevent, mitigate and address human rights conditions in business operations and enable a more level playing field for businesses that demonstrate respect for human rights.

The field of Artificial Intelligence has witnessed rapid evolution over the last few decades. Its potential for deployment for human welfare and economic growth has been widely recognized and capitalized by both governments and businesses globally and in India, across sectors including health, retail, financial services etc. AI technologies have also been widely and rapidly deployed during the ongoing pandemic to scale health response worldwide, with concerns regarding its efficacy and potential negative impact remaining unaddressed and unexplored.

Objectives

Objectives of the assignments would include:

• To identify, atleast three, key human rights at risk of being negatively impacted by use of AI technologies in business operations across two Indian sectors and
• To propose solutions for
  • Indian Businesses (including an AI risk assessment toolkit- list of key interrogative questionnaire – for the respective industry sector) and
  • Indian Government (regulatory frameworks) to mitigate and address these human rights abuses.

Specific Tasks for the Research Service Provider/Organization

• Identification of two industry sectors in India for undertaking the study (tentative list of 2 sectors may be submitted by Service Provider as part of technical proposal). Final list of sectors will be finalized in consultation with UNDP.
• Develop research plan including timeline, stakeholders and methodology (outline to be provided as part of technical proposal).
• Develop detailed?synopsis of research?with key messages of initial findings.
• Conduct desk and primary research [stakeholder interviews (atleast 10 for each sector) and consultations (atleast 3 for each sector)] in support of findings.
• Research the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, if any, on exacerbated human rights risks with use of AI.
• Present research findings as an issue brief (including toolkit) and slide decks format.

Expected Outputs

Given the increasing use and influence of AI technology by businesses across sectors (including health, retail, banking etc.) in India and globally, the purpose of the study is to undertake a thorough review of impact of use of AI technologies across two business sectors on human rights of individual and communities. The study is will broadly support the following two outputs:

• An assessment of the key human rights at the risk in the Indian context, of being negatively impacted by use of AI technologies in business operations across the two sectors and
• Outlining of proposed solutions for businesses and government to mitigate and address these violations

Duration of Assignment

Duty Station The assignment is estimated to commence by first week of July 2021. The assignment will need to be completed within 100 days of signing the contract.

Degree of Expertise and Qualifications

• Required Skills and Experience
  • The organisation/Service Provider should the following expertise and qualifications.
• Working experience
  • The Service Provider must have at least 7 years’ experience of demonstrable work and understanding of digital technologies (preferably AI) and relate policy frameworks, human rights and role/responsibilities of businesses/private sector on the subject;
  • Experience in research, data collection, analysis and report writing.
  • Demonstrable record of having undertaken similar assignments. Experience in working with CSOs, NGOs, INGOs, UN and other international development agencies is an advantage.
• Skills and knowledge
  • Exemplary knowledge and understanding of digital technologies (preferably artificial intelligence), business and human rights discourse in India.
  • Understanding of artificial intelligence sector landscape and actors.
  • Proven ability to produce advocacy and policy-based analytical reports and frameworks of high quality in English
  • Professional approach to time, costs and deadlines
  • Demonstrated accuracy and attention to details
• Education
  • Essential qualification for team members
    • Team Leader – Advanced university degree (Masters) in law/human rights/development studies/social sciences or any other related field with atleast 10 years work experience in the tech policy and human rights agenda for India
    • Team members (at-least 2) – university degree (Bachelors) in law/human rights/development studies/social sciences or any other related field with atleast 5 years work experience in the development sector esp. engagement in tech policy and human rights agenda for India
  • CVs of all implementation team members (at-least 3 members) along with organization profile to be submitted.
• Language
  • Excellent communication (spoken, written and presentation) skills in English.
  • Knowledge of any regional language is an asset. Competencies and special skills requirement
  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modelling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Criteria

• Technical Proposal (70%)
  • Work Profile and experience of organization (30 points) – applicant’s institutional capacity;
  • Education profile of team members (30 points);
  • Implementation strategy (soundness, methodology, stakeholder mapping) (10 points)
• Financial Proposal (30%)
  • To be computed as a ratio of the Proposal’s offer to the lowest price among the proposals received by UNDP.

For more information, visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=79600