AI and the Rule of Law: Regional Training for Justice Officials Across Asia-Pacific
Date: 11 November 2025
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how courts work-speeding up filings, research, and case management. It also raises hard questions about bias, transparency, due process, and judicial independence. To address both sides, UNESCO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), will co-organize a Regional Training on AI and the Rule of Law from 12-14 November 2025 in Bangkok.
Built on UNESCO's Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law for the Justice Sector, the programme equips judges and justice officials to use AI responsibly and lawfully-so efficiency never comes at the expense of rights.
Why this matters for the bench and bar
AI is already present in docket management, triage, legal research, sentencing analytics, and fraud detection. Without clear standards and oversight, these tools can import bias, obscure reasoning, or quietly influence outcomes.
This training supports SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions by strengthening capability to evaluate, deploy, and supervise AI in line with human rights and the rule of law.
What the training covers
Grounded in UNESCO's Global Toolkit, participants will work through practical scenarios and regulatory approaches to ensure AI supports-rather than subverts-justice and accountability.
- How AI can enhance access to justice while safeguarding rights
- Identifying and mitigating risks: bias, discrimination, opacity, and due process concerns
- Constitutional and ethical implications of AI-assisted decision-making
- Evaluating AI-related cases, applying relevant principles, regulations, and case law
- Peer learning and regional cooperation across courts and justice institutions
Practical takeaways for judicial work
- Bench-ready criteria for vetting AI tools: data provenance, validation, explainability, audit logs, and human-in-the-loop safeguards
- Red flags for algorithmic bias and methods to test and document disparate impact
- Procedural safeguards: notice to parties, the right to a meaningful challenge, disclosure of model use, and standards for admissibility
- Procurement and governance essentials: accountability mapping, vendor obligations, updates, incident reporting, and independent audits
- Case handling: questions to ask in hearings, discovery requests for model documentation, and remedies when AI taints process
Who will attend
Participation is by invitation for judges, court administrators, prosecutors, and other justice-sector professionals from across the region, including:
- Bangladesh
- Brunei Darussalam
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- The Philippines
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
Dates and venue
12-14 November 2025 - Bangkok, Thailand
Background
Courts and justice agencies are adopting AI for administration and research, but blind spots can undermine fairness and public trust. UNESCO's Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law-developed under its 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI-offers a rights-based framework for responsible use in the justice sector. This workshop will build regional capacity through real cases, peer exchange, and practical tools.
Contact
For inquiries, please email: ci.bgk(at)unesco.org (subject line: AI and Rule of Law Training - Asia-Pacific).
Further learning
For ongoing professional development on AI skills relevant to legal practice, explore curated options by job role at Complete AI Training.
Your membership also unlocks:
