Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem conducted a study that used machine learning methods to analyze 180,000 UN resolutions to track the evolution of the organization’s approach to human rights issues.
Their findings, published in the Human Rights Law Review, showed that the UN is increasingly focusing on the rights of people with disabilities, marginalized groups and business-related issues. At the same time, there has been a significant decline in interest in human rights violations that occur during conflicts and terrorist attacks.
The analysis used a new methodology known as Discourse Density, which allows us to track changes in human rights discussions in different UN institutions and commissions. This model uses machine learning to identify trends in discussions and resolutions. The study documented both an increase in topics related to disability rights and human rights in business contexts, and a decrease in discussions related to conflict and terrorism. At the same time, gender and sex issues continued at a stable level of discussion.
Discourse Density is a tool for automated content analysis of a wide range of UN recommendations, allowing not only to track changes over time, but also to identify how attention to different topics is distributed among different UN institutions. the UN.
Scholars emphasize that while the shift in emphasis in the UN’s human rights work can be seen as positive, there are also negative aspects. Of course, protecting the rights of people with disabilities is of great importance, but it should not overshadow other key human rights issues. The weakening of attention to security issues associated with war and terrorism is especially alarming in the context of current global political instability.
Previously, Cursor reported that Israeli scientists had made a discovery about global wind systems.
