Enhancing Civic and Human Rights for Indigenous
and Native Peoples Through AI Technology
William Jackson, MAT
CEO of My Quest To Teach & MetaverseWP
World Metaverse Council Member as the Metaverse
Education Program Director and One Africa Forum
Technology Education Program Director
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdjacksonblogger/
We are living in an increasingly interconnected world, technology
is allowing for collaboration and cooperation that is providing
educational and economic opportunities never before available.
The world has multiple ecosystems of technological innovation,
creativity and the potential for sustainability.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology offers unprecedented
opportunities to enhance civic and human rights, especially for
marginalized communities such as Indigenous, and Native
people across Canda, Central America and Africa.
Leveraging AI, VR and cross technological ecosystems groups
can amplify their voices, provide education to youth and teens
about their economic, educational and ethnic rights. AI can help
improve quality of life by leveling fields of access, application
and accountability.
This blog explores how AI technology can serve as a transformative
tool for social justice and human rights according to the United
Nations and incorporating insights from UN Officials and the
Canadian Parliamentarian.
AI can and has been used for Advocacy and Awareness around the
world. AI can perform a crucial role in social advocacy and raising
awareness about the issues faced by indigenous, and native communities.
AI-powered platforms can analyze vast amounts of data from social
media, news outlets, historical documentation and public records to
identify patterns of racism, discrimination and human rights abuses.
This information can then be used to inform advocacy campaigns,
human right organizations, NGO’s and provide factual and current
situational awareness to policy-making organizations to make changes
necessary for the well-being of indigenous and native peoples.
As an example, AI algorithms can track instances of hate speech
and racial intolerance online, providing real-time data that can be
used to combat these issues effectively. Indigenous and native
peoples in Canada have been denied opportunities, resources,
educational equality, economic parity and even “a place at
the table in government.”
Technology can help educate indigenous and native people to
travel through the political processes that sometimes can
be confusing, challenging, complicated and exclusionary.
AI can assist in writing documents, creating contracts, memorandums
of understanding, treaties, peace accords and other documents
that allow for the languages of government and policies to be
leveraged in a way that there is clarification, accuracy, honesty, truth
and accountability.
Information and education are the two keys that can enable
indigenous and native people the ability to gain their rights
that have been denied for years. The ability of AI to help create
compelling visual and narrative content that resonates with
broader Canadian, Central American and African audiences.
Tech is helping to garner support for social justice initiatives
and civil rights for indigenous and native peoples.
Internationally indigenous people have been denied the rights
of equality, equitability and parity. Using technology to gain
information, access data, critical thinking and higher order
transformative understanding are benefits for the future of
youth, and teens.
Enhancing access to justice, and civic initiatives is one of the
most significant ways AI can enhance civic and human rights
by improving access to justice initiatives.
Legal AI tools can assist indigenous, and native, people in
understanding their rights and navigating the legal system.
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide legal
advice (not replacing certified legal counsel), document
preparation, and even representation in minor legal matters,
making justice accessible to those who might otherwise be
excluded due to language barriers, financial constraints, or
geographic isolation.
Volker Türk of Austria, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
has emphasized the importance of technology. “We need a human
rights system that speaks to every human being.” Turk has stated
as well that, “I hope to use every tool at our disposal to advance
the human rights of all people.”
This should equally apply to Canada, Central America, Asia,
and Africa where nations have potential violations of human, civic
and humanitarian rights. This does not exclude the United States
when addressing indigenous and natives across America.
One of the most powerful potentials is preserving and promoting
Indigenous Languages and Cultures. AI technology can be
instrumental in preserving and promoting indigenous languages
and cultures. Machine learning algorithms can be used to create
language learning apps, translation tools, and digital archives that
help keep endangered languages alive. By facilitating the
documentation and dissemination of cultural knowledge, AI can
help ensure that indigenous traditions and histories are preserved
for future generations.
Researching indigenous languages across Canada, it is found that
as of 2016, statistics Canada reported that around 70 Indigenous
languages were spoken in Canada. These languages are divided into
12 language families, including Algonquian, Inuit, Athabaskan,
Siouan, Salish, Tsimshian, Wakashan, Iroquoian, Michif, and Tlingit.
Historically there may be more with derivatives other languages
and other dialects. The use of AI can be used to preserve and
highlight languages for future study, application and appreciation.
AI as an educational tool supporting educational initiatives tailored
to indigenous and native communities by a process of comprehension
and connection internationally. Personalized learning platforms
powered by AI can cater to the unique cultural and linguistic needs
of groups across Canada, Asia and Africa, providing a more inclusive
and effective educational experience.
As a teacher of 33 years teaching STEAM+M, AI, VR,
Metaverse and as a certified VR Educator with VictoryXR,
working with EngageVR these technologies set new sites for
indigenous and native youth and teens. Technology offers
transformative possibilities and potentials for enhancing
civic and human rights education for indigenous, and
native, people. From improving access to and preserving
cultural heritage information to driving economic
empowerment and protecting human rights, AI can serve as
a powerful tool for social justice and human rights learning.
Africa is growing in its ability to apply AI for education, economics
and ethical treatment. However, realizing this potential requires
a commitment to ethical technological practices, inclusivity with
Wifi access, providing laptops, tablets at native and indigenous
schools and collaboration between governments both local and
across the provinces of Canada and the continent
of Africa.
As we navigate the complexities of the digital age and decreasing
the “Digital Divide” it is essential to ensure that AI serves as a
force for good, advancing the rights and well-being of all people.
Chinua Achebe (Father of African Literature) has stated,
‘Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt
will always glorify the hunter.’ This even applies to native and
indigenous people globally, representation matters.
When youth, teen and young adults see faces like theirs that are
successful, not just with money, but contributing to their communities
they are more empowered to be successful and work to help their communities to grow.
There are indigenous and native historians waiting to be empowered, active,
engaged and making history.
Native leaders, historically in Canada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indigenous_Canadian_politicians
