Tag Archives: writing

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OHCHR Publishes a Taxonomy of Human Rights Risks Connected to Generative AI

Recently, we observed an article titled Toward Humanist Superintelligence on microsoft.ai. That article, dated November 6, 2025 was credited to Mustafa Suleyman. We continue to recommend that humanists read and evaluate Suleyman’s comments about that companies aims.

in the meantime, we further note that the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner has published a document titled, Taxonomy of Human Rights Risks Connected to Generative AI. The introduction to the 22-page document states that it , “explores human rights risks stemming from the development, deployment, and use of generative AI technology. Establishing such a rights-based taxonomy is crucial for understanding how the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) should be operationalised in addressing human rights risks connected to generative AI. This taxonomy is concerned with demonstrating how the most significant harms to people related to generative AI are in fact impacts on internationally agreed human rights.“

We urge humanists to read the OHCHR document and a related covering article on their website and reflect upon how it relates to the objectives of existing and emerging commercial interests, such as Microsoft, but by no means limited to Microsoft. The context of the UN’s work and our own investigation is essential: we must ensure discussion is oriented to concrete human dignity rather than abstract technical issues or priorities set by commercial interests focused on profit-generating activities.

From a humanist standpoint, the UN’s taxonomy could be an important starting place to center people and ethics — not profit or innovation — in policy decisions about AI’s future.

Consider:

  • Grounding AI governance in shared values — by linking risks to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), it provides a practical, universally recognized ethical framework
  • Amplifying disenfranchised voices — it explicitly highlights that generative AI often exacerbates risks for already vulnerable groups, including women, girls, and populations in the Global South
  • Addressing consent at scale — because these models often use large datasets scraped from the internet, people may not know or be able to give informed consent when their data is collected for AI training

Matters such as the ethical oversight of the advent and implementation of this massively powerful new technology are not beyond our human ability to navigate. As Suleyman has observed, humanism contains an essential ethical toolkit. We caution that humanists must ensure that which humanist tools are used, and how they are used, remains in the appropriate hands.

AI Disclosure

This article was drafted using a process that included the use of artificial intelligence tools. If you have any stylistic or editorial concerns or find factual errors or omissions, please let us know.

Up For Discussion

If you’re interested in analyzing and discussing this issue, there are actions you can take. First, here at Humanist Heritage Canada (Humanist Freedoms), we are open to receiving your well-written articles.

Second, we encourage you to visit the New Enlightenment Project’s (NEP) Facebook page and discussion group.

Citations, References And Other Reading

  1. Featured Photo Courtesy of :
  2. https://microsoft.ai/news/towards-humanist-superintelligence/
  3. https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/building-a-god-the-ethics-of-artificial-intelligence-and-the-race-to-control-it/9781493085880.html
  4. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/business/b-tech/taxonomy-GenAI-Human-Rights-Harms.pdf
  5. https://unric.org/en/protecting-human-rights-in-an-ai-driven-world/

By continuing to access, link to, or use this website and/or podcast, you accept the HumanistFreedoms.com and HumanistHeritageCanada.ca Terms of Service in full. If you disagree with the terms of service in whole or in part, you must not use the website, podcast or other material.

The views, opinions and analyses expressed in the articles on Humanist Freedoms are those of the contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the publishers.

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Robert Munsch and MAiD

As reported by the National Post, Canadian children’s author Robert Munsch has stated that he must “pick the moment when I can still ask for it,” and worries that if he loses capacity before then, his family will be left to make one of the most difficult decisions that any person or family can make…whether Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) the appropriate choice for Robert Munsch.

Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and eventually studies for 7 years to be a Jesuit priest while working part-time at an orphanage and then spend ten year working in daycare. Munsch became a Canadian citizen in in the 1970s and became a member of the Order of Canada in 1999.

One of his books, Giant; or Waiting for the Thursday Boat (1989), was banned in some places as offensive to religion, e.g., a character threatens to “pound God into applesauce.” Because of its depiction of God as a little girl, and threats toward God, it was challenged/removed from some school libraries in Ontario.  In Middlesex County, the book was removed or restricted (for example from primary grades, or not read aloud by teachers) because of its religious content;  In Welland (Niagara Region), similar challenges occurred.  

Munsch is a Unitarian who attended the Unitarian Fellowship in Guelph “until the routine petered out when the kids got restless.” (Citation below.) Munsch and his wife have three adopted children. According to the Freedom From Religion Foundation,

Munsch became Canada¹s best selling author, but was not selling much in the USA. Then LOVE YOU FOREVER came out as a Canadian book in 1986. It sold 30,000 in 1986 and was the bestselling kid’s book in Canada that year, 70,000 in 1987 and was the bestselling Canadian kids book that year too. It sold 1,000,000 in 1988 . It was the bestselling Canadian kid’s book that year too. The strange thing was that it was also the bestselling kid’s book in the USA, only nobody knew it. It never occurred to Munsch that it could be an invisible bestseller.

On the official Munsch website, a candid advisory to parents says, “I am a storyteller. I write books for kids, I talk to kids, and I listen to kids. But that is not all that I am. Several years ago I was diagnosed as obsessive-compulsive and manic-depressive. Those challenges have led me to make some big mistakes. I have worked hard to overcome my problems, and I have done my best. I have attended twelve-step recovery meetings for more than 25 years. My mental health and addiction problems are not a secret to my friends and family. They have been a big support to me over the years, and I would not have been able to do this without their love and understanding. I hope that others will also understand. I hope that everyone will talk to their kids honestly, listen to them, and help them do their best with their own challenges.“

And that seems like some pretty reasonable perspective at any stage of life, doesn’t it?

Up For Discussion

If you’re interested in analyzing and discussing this issue, there are actions you can take. First, here at Humanist Heritage Canada (Humanist Freedoms), we are open to receiving your well-written articles.

Second, we encourage you to visit the New Enlightenment Project’s (NEP) Facebook page and discussion group.

Citations, References And Other Reading

  1. Featured Photo Courtesy of :
  2. https://ffrf.org/publications/day/robert-munsch/
  3. https://robertmunsch.com/
  4. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/robert-munsch-qualify-for-maid-dementia-canada
  5. https://www.thebeaverton.com/2025/09/robert-munsch-announces-he-will-choose-maid-program-also-even-sadder-new-ending-to-love-you-forever/
  6. https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/robert-munsch-daughter-not-dying
  7. https://www.sudbury.com/beyond-local/beloved-guelph-childrens-author-robert-munsch-chooses-maid-11222971

By continuing to access, link to, or use this website and/or podcast, you accept the HumanistFreedoms.com and HumanistHeritageCanada.ca Terms of Service in full. If you disagree with the terms of service in whole or in part, you must not use the website, podcast or other material.

The views, opinions and analyses expressed in the articles on Humanist Freedoms are those of the contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the publishers.