Neurorights: Addressing the Global Opportunities and Challenges of Neurotechnology from a Human Rights Lens

The advancement of neurotechnologies is generating application and investment opportunities that go beyond the medical realm, reaching entertainment, marketing, and even military purposes. Along with these opportunities, challenges arise related to the potential misuse of neurotechnologies, which can put at risk fundamental freedoms and human rights such as privacy, autonomy, integrity, freedom of thought, equality of opportunity, and non-discrimination. In this context, proposals have emerged in recent years to review the current framework of human rights instruments to address the potential risks of neurotechnologies. There is an ongoing debate about whether these “neurorights” should take the form of new rights or whether they should be implemented as reconceptualizations of pre-existing rights. Neurorights proposals are being seriously considered in various nations, especially in Latin America, which demonstrates leadership of these economies in the regulation of emerging technologies. Other countries and regional organisms such as the Organization of American States have taken steps to protect neurorights. Last but not least, the United Nations is currently discussing this issue, as shown by Human Rights Council resolution 51/3 aimed at preparing a study on the impact, opportunities, and challenges of neurotechnology, as well as the ongoing work by UNESCO to draft a document of recommendations on the ethics of neurotechnology. By bringing together international experts and policymakers, this session will focus on (1) identifying emerging challenges of neurotechnology for human rights; (2) sharing experiences on neurorights implementation in national and regional policies; (3) examining how these initiatives may inform global debates; and (4) recommending venues for promoting the responsible development and use of neurotechnologies.