Towards an International Instrument
This special mandate, entrusted by UNESCO’s 194 Member States at the 42nd session of the General Conference in November 2023, aims to establish a comprehensive framework to address the challenges of neurotechnology, and maximize its benefits. It will consist of shared values and principles, pinpoint ethical challenges, and propose concrete policy actions to ensure the ethical development, deployment, and use of neurotechnology globally. Set for potential adoption in 2025, this Recommendation underscores the need to balance the rapid advancements in neurotechnology with ethical considerations to safeguard human dignity and rights. The process is overseen by the Social and Human Science sector, under the leadership of Assistant Director General Gabriela Ramos.
Director General Audrey Azoulay appointed an Ad Hoc Expert Group (AHEG) of 24 high-level experts, ensuring both geographic and gender balance. The group met in April and August 2024 to prepare the first draft of the Recommendation, with the support of UNESCO's Secretariat.
Neurotechnology, with its rapid development, and its capacities to understand our brain and intervene on it, are promising avenues to improve the well being of people, considering the high incidence of mental health issues all over the world. However, to deliver for good, they need to be framed ethically, particularly when dealing with the human-computer interface, and the threats to our mental privacy and autonomy derived from this interaction.
What is a UNESCO Recommendation?
UNESCO Recommendations are legal instruments in which "the General Conference formulates principles and norms for the international regulation of any particular question and invites Member States to take whatever legislative or other steps may be required in conformity with the constitutional practice of each State and the nature of the question under consideration to apply the principles and norms aforesaid within their respective territories". Emanating from the Organization's supreme governing body and hence possessing great authority, recommendations are intended to influence the development of national laws and practices.
Other relevant UNESCO Recommendations:
Recommendation’s roadmap
24 international experts (Ad Hoc Expert Group - AHEG) convened from 22 to 26 April 2024 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris prepared a first draft of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology.
From June to mid - July 2024, global, regional, and national consultations were conducted by UNESCO in order to collect the views of a wide range of key stakeholders and incorporated pluralistic perspectives into the draft Recommendation, ensuring an open and inclusive elaboration process.
During its second meeting from 26 to 30 August 2024, the AHEG revised the first draft in light of the inputs raised in the consultation process.
The was shared with Member States in September 2024, opening the intergovernmental phase that will take place until 2025. 
The was submitted to the special committee meeting of technical and legal experts, designated by Member States, to be held from 12 to 16 May 2025.
The final text of the Recommendation will be presented for adoption in November 2025 at the 43rd session of the General Conference.
Development of the First Draft of the Recommendation by International Experts
Following the decision taken by the 194 Member States of UNESCO during the 42nd session of the General Conference (November 2023), UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has convened a multidisciplinary group of 24 high-level experts geographically and gender balanced, called the Ad Hoc Expert Group (AHEG), to prepare a first draft of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology. The expert group met twice in the course of 2024: the first time in April to produce a first draft of the Recommendation and the second time in August to finalize this first draft, in light of the inputs raised in the consultation process.
Bureau of the AHEG
Co-Chairs
Hervé Chneiweiss (France) and Nita Farahany (United States)
Rapporteur
Pamela Andanda (Kenya)
Vice-Chairs
Ioana Podina (Romania)
Pedro Maldonado (Chile)
Ryota Kanai (Japan)
Riadh Gouider (Tunisia)
Global, Regional, and National Consultations
Global Consultation: Online Questionnaire
From June to mid-July 2024, global, regional, sub-regional, and national consultations were conducted by UNESCO, where views of a wide range of key stakeholders were collected and pluralistic perspectives were incorporated into the first draft of the Recommendation, ensuring an open and inclusive elaboration process.
Regional, Sub-Regional and National Consultations
A series of consultations at the regional, sub-regional and national levels were organized with the support of UNESCO Fields Offices, National Commissions, host institutions and partners.
Intergovernmental Phase
A first draft of the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology was prepared by the 24 international experts of the Ad Hoc Expert Group, who convened in Paris in April and August 2024. This text has been submitted to Member States for their comments and observations, opening the intergovernmental phase that will take place until 2025.
Based on the contributions received from the Member States, the Secretariat prepared a new . This draft text is now submitted to the special committee meeting of technical and legal experts, designated by Member States, to be held from 12 to 16 May 2025, with a view to the adoption of the Recommendation at the 43rd session of the General Conference, in November 2025.