UNESCO’s Information for All Programme (IFAP), jointly with the European University Institute (EUI) and Sciences Po’s Tech and Global Affairs Innovation Hub, published an issue brief titled “Human Rights Centered Global Governance of Quantum Technologies: Advancing Information for All.” The brief was presented at an IFAP webinar on July 3, 2025, according to a UNESCO article on the event.
Authored by Shamira Ahmed and Constance Bommelaer de Leusse, the brief expanded on the March 2024 discussion paper on quantum technologies and their global impact. It identified three principal challenges: dual-use risks where quantum technologies present both opportunities and threats for encryption and security, an emerging quantum divide that could deepen global inequalities, and gender inequity in the quantum field. The brief proposed human rights as a framework for responsible quantum governance.
IFAP described the publication as the first in its new Issue Briefs Series, a foresight-oriented initiative to track the implications of frontier technologies for inclusive knowledge societies. Recommendations focused on infrastructure investment, policy action, capacity building, and public-private partnerships. The brief was subsequently discussed at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in July 2025.