Global effort to promote awareness of first-ever international AI treaty seeks to balance innovation with safeguards against disinformation, discrimination, and security threats.
NEW YORK/THE HAGUE, March 18, 2025 — As artificial intelligence transforms societies worldwide, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) today announced the launch of its Global Parliamentary Initiative on Responsible Artificial Intelligence, mobilizing legislators across 140 countries to ensure AI innovation flourishes within frameworks that protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
The initiative also responds directly to challenges arising through AI development and utilization, including the growing use of generative AI to create and spread disinformation, algorithmic bias that disproportionately impacts women and marginalized communities, and potential misuse of AI to facilitate cybercrime or aid in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
"Parliamentarians worldwide recognize that harnessing AI's extraordinary benefits must not come at the expense of fundamental rights and democratic principles," said Peter Barcroft, senior director of PGA's International Peace and Security Program. "As lawmakers, advocates, and elected representatives, parliamentarians play a central role in generating political will to support the universalization of related international treaties. In many countries, parliamentary endorsement of treaties is also constitutionally required before ratification. Parliamentarians are uniquely well-positioned to promote responsible AI governance at both national and international levels. Innovation and regulation should be seen as mutually supportive, not mutually exclusive endeavors."
Speaker of the House of Representatives for Belize and PGA board member, Hon. Valerie Woods, offered her reflections as a parliamentarian: "Innovation and the use of AI no doubt can provide major advances and solutions to challenges in our respective country developments. At the same time, as parliamentarians, we each must do our part to ensure that the use of AI does not undermine the high standards of accountability and transparency or that it does not bolster or perpetuate inequalities and discrimination. This is an exciting initiative of PGA, and I hope members of parliament will be encouraged to learn more about this global international treaty and work towards championing it.”
The Global Parliamentary Initiative’s first phase will focus on promoting awareness and implementation of the Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. Adopted in April 2024 and opened for signature in September 2024, this groundbreaking international treaty establishes foundational principles and obligations for AI governance, including human dignity and individual autonomy, equality and non-discrimination, respect for privacy and personal data protection, transparency and oversight, accountability and responsibility, reliability, and safe innovation.
The Framework Convention strikes a carefully calibrated balance between promoting innovation and establishing necessary guardrails. Taking steps to mitigate risks arising from AI development and usage can also generate greater overall confidence, making good commercial sense in the process.
Through a series of planned webinars and regional workshops, PGA will engage its network of influential parliamentarians worldwide to raise awareness about the Framework Convention, highlighting the benefits of adherence and providing guidance on implementation strategies. The Initiative will also highlight provisions that address unconscious bias and discrimination in AI systems that disproportionately impact women and marginalized communities.
As President of PGA, I am pleased to announce the launch of our Global Parliamentary Initiative on Responsible Artificial Intelligence. As an organization, PGA has always sought to be responsive to the rapidly evolving world in which we live. Here in Pakistan, and around the world, PGA Membership recognizes both the extraordinary promise, but also the not insignificant peril offered by AI. We must rise to the occasion, as we so often have done in the past, and meet this moment. As influential and activist Parliamentarians, we can and will make a difference. By raising awareness on the newly adopted, first-ever global AI treaty - the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law - PGA can draw on its deep reservoir of motivated and effective members worldwide to highlight why and how innovation, an essential tool in the advancement of humanity should, nevertheless, not be allowed to unmoor our people from long cherished and fundamental precepts of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Parliamentarians can be that steady hand at the rudder. As a former Minister of Commerce and Minister of Finance of Pakistan, I understand very well the economic gains to be made from the development and utilization of AI. I understand equally well, however, that to sustainably anchor those same gains, we must proceed in a manner which does not abandon our core morals and beliefs. Prosperity at the expense of Principle will hinder, not advance humanity and our common future. President of PGA
Hon. Syed Naveed Qamar MP (Pakistan)
The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law is aimed at ensuring the responsible development and use of AI. Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) is raising awareness among members of parliament on this first ever international treaty on AI in an effort to balance innovation with fundamental rights so that the use of AI serves humanity in an ethical, fair and accountable manner. For smaller countries and parliaments, this convention offers essential guidance to navigate the complexities of AI to help establish policies and legislation that protect our citizens as innovation is developed and promoted. As a board member of PGA, I am very pleased that the network has taken on this global parliamentary initiative on responsible artificial intelligence. This convention should provide all parliaments with the space for international cooperation to implement effective regulations that uphold democracy, human rights and the rule of law in an increasing digital world. This Convention, therefore, directly aligns with the guiding principles of the PGA. The Treaty requires States Parties to minimise the risks of AI usage with responsible regulatory action. Innovation and the use of AI no doubt can provide major advances and solutions to challenges in our respective country developments. Notwithstanding this, as parliamentarians, we each must do our part to ensure that at the same time the use of AI does not undermine the high standards of accountability and transparency or that it does not bolster or perpetuate inequalities and discrimination. This is an exciting initiative of PGA and I hope members of parliament will be encouraged to learn more about this global international treaty and work towards championing it.Hon. Valerie Woods Speaker of the House of Representatives (Belize)
The launch of The Parliamentarian for Global Action initiative on responsible Artificial Intelligence aims to ensure that AI advancements benefit society. It emphasizes the need for ethical standards, accountability, and inclusivity in AI development to empower communities, promote equity, and drive innovation while safeguarding humanity and the planet. Hon. Abdoulie Ceesay, MP (The Gambia)
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence has made it an indispensable asset in accelerating humanity’s immense progress across all fields in life from technology, medicine, to law. However, it is this very power that also presents profounds challenges. From deceptive deepfakes sowing disinformation to artificial intelligence driven cybercrime, the risks are as great as the benefits. It is thus vital that human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are upheld as we navigate this transformative terrain.
The first global treaty on artificial intelligence––The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law is crucial in this venture and I most welcome the launch of the PGA's landmark Global Parliamentary Initiative on Responsible Artificial Intelligence: a significant endeavour that will raise important awareness among elected representatives from across the world on not just the treaty, but also the urgent necessity in ensuring that artificial intelligence serves as a force for good. Hon. Kula Segaran, MP (Malaysia)
