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Symposium on Delivering Responsible Neurotechnologies Governance

Monday, 8 December 2025, 14-16h CET, Online Register online

A panel discussion to identify opportunities for States, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to develop a holistic and multi-stakeholder approach towards the challenges of neurotechnologies governance while protecting and promoting human rights.

Objectives

The panel discussion aims:

  • to identify opportunities for States, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to develop a holistic and multi-stakeholder approach towards the challenges of neurotechnologies governance while protecting and promoting human rights;
  • to identify how best to facilitate further comprehensive research and discussions on the intersection between neurotechnologies and emerging human rights concerns, building on the ongoing discussions on regulatory oversight;
  • to heighten awareness of critical emerging challenges in neurotechnologies’ development and their impact on delivering the benefits of innovation while mitigating risks and protecting and promoting all human rights;
  • to exchange views with regard to enhancing mutual understanding and interaction between the human rights and neuroscience communities and between governments and the private sector;
  • to identify best practice to date in shaping a coherent, holistic approach towards developing multi-stakeholder engagement towards responsible implementation of neurotechnologies for both clinical and consumer applications;

Moderator

Dr. Jonathan Andrew, Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy

Panel

  • Mr. George Kouvas, Brainscape Medical, University of Basel
  • Dr. Karen Herrera-Ferra MD, Asociación Mexicana de Neuroética
  • Dr. Wendy O’Brien, UNODC – Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
  • Dr. Virginia Mahieu, A Neurotechnology Director at Centre for Future Generations

Outcome

The discussion will inform the final report by the Geneva Academy for its research project ‘Neurotechnologies and Human Rights’, funded by the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS) – based on a partnership between the Geneva Academy, the Geneva University Neurocentre and the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) Advisory Committee.

Background

The discussion will address the complex intersection of human rights implications stemming from the development and implementation of neurotechnologies for both clinical and commercial, non-therapeutic ends as regulatory frameworks are increasingly being applied to provide regulatory oversight for their use.
Neurotechnologies have already been shown to provide highly beneficial treatments for a broad range of neurological disorders and conditions including Parkinson’s, dementia and chronic depression using techniques such as neuromodulation. However, delivery of the benefits of interventions must be balanced against risks and the need to uphold human rights, including inter alia the right to privacy, freedom of thought and expression, freedom of religion or belief, and the prohibition of discrimination.

In addition, the debate will also consider the impact of potential externalities for social cohesion, equality and tolerance within communities – it will ask what factors must be taken into account when considering how vulnerable groups and marginalised individuals are to have their voices heard in shaping how neurotechnologies are deployed across the global regions.

With businesses playing a key role in originating novel neurotechnology-based applications, managing both the benefits and risks of their use will require enhanced multilateral cooperation towards enforcing existing legislation and possibly developing new regulatory oversight mechanisms and guidance to ensure an apt and viable framework for protecting and promoting human rights. A key challenge in this regard is the complex nature of neurotechnology coupled with the traditional ‘siloing’ between human rights, neuroscience and corporate communities of practice.

Background documents

Human Rights Council resolutions relating to human rights and neurotechnologies: