The Euro-Arab’s researcher, Karen Hough, contributed to the doctoral programme reflects the importance of interdisciplinary research and academic exchange
On 27 October, Karen Latricia Hough, researcher at the Euro-Arab Foundation , delivered a presentation at the University of Brescia (Italy) as part of the PhD Programme ‘Rights, Person, Innovation and Market’; hosted by the Department of International Law .
The lecture, entitled ‘Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Address Human Trafficking: Technological Opportunities, Operational Challenges and Human Rights Implications—Evidence from the Horizon Europe Vanguard Project’, explored the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in tackling human trafficking, as well as the opportunities and challenges of deploying emerging technologies against it.
Drawing on evidence from the Horizon Europe Vanguard Project, Hough examined how AI-powered tools and technological innovation can strengthen efforts to identify, prevent and respond to human trafficking. She also addressed the operational challenges of implementing these technologies, alongside the critical human rights considerations that must guide their development and use.
As AI continues to reshape approaches to security, justice and human rights protection, the discussion highlighted the importance of ensuring that technological solutions are effective, ethical and grounded in human rights principles. It also underscored the need for collaboration between researchers, policymakers, legal experts and practitioners to ensure that innovation translates into meaningful, responsible action against human trafficking.
The importance of ensuring that technological solutions are effective, ethical and grounded in human rights principles
Hough’s contribution reflects the value of interdisciplinary research and academic exchange in addressing pressing global challenges at the intersection of technology, international law, human rights and social protection. This visit also gave the Euro-Arab Foundation the opportunity to share the Horizon Europe VANGUARD Project with the academic community and to contribute to the debate on how emerging technologies can support more effective and human-rights-centred responses to human trafficking.
Innovation in human rights protection
For the Euro-Arab Foundation, this participation is part of the ongoing analysis of AI as a technology with a dual nature: it can be misused by criminal networks but it can also propels the protection of trafficking victims The doctoral programme, which combines cultural, technological and methodological innovation, is closely aligned with VANGUARD, particularly with the design of ‘Red Flags: a serious game’, a video game for children and teenagers that takes into account their environment: family, educators, friends and social communities.
VANGUARD project, which concluded on October with a final conference at the Center for Security Studies (KEMEA), puts in practice innovation not only on the process of developing tools, but also in how to ensure the accessibility of these tools reinforced by the design of engagement and awareness actions, with the involvement of science communicators with a more approachable and age adequate to the targets digital languages.
