Stop Killer Robots is a global campaign that seeks to ban the development and use of lethal autonomous weapons: systems capable of selecting and attacking targets without meaningful human intervention. These technologies raise serious concerns from a human rights perspective, as they delegate decisions over life and death to automated systems and deepen processes of dehumanization in contexts of war and control.
TEDIC joined this campaign in 2020, promoting actions at the local, regional, and international levels aimed at raising awareness about the risks of the automation of warfare, fostering public debate, and contributing to advocacy processes for the regulation of these technologies. Throughout this work, TEDIC has articulated knowledge production, awareness-raising through accessible formats, and participation in political dialogue spaces.
In Paraguay and the region, we promoted various actions of research, public advocacy, and cultural activism:
• 1 informative pocket brochure on autonomous weapons and their risks to human rights, aimed at the general public.
• 1 research study on the impact and regulatory challenges of autonomous weapons from a Latin American and digital rights perspective.
• Advocacy in international spaces: Through participation in OAS forums and debates held in Vienna, Austria, addressing legal and ethical implications as well as the humanitarian and security consequences posed by the increasing autonomy of weapons through artificial intelligence.
• National advocacy, through engagement spaces with civil society and the Paraguayan State, where joint working groups issued a statement opposing the use of autonomous weapons.
• Parliamentary commitments signed by representatives of the National Congress:
◦ Johanna Ortega
◦ Raúl Benítez
◦ Ignacio Iramain
These commitments represent a crucial step toward reaffirming our commitment to building a future where technology is developed responsibly and with respect for human rights.
The project also incorporated citizen participation strategies and cultural activism to bring the debate closer to society:
• Exhibitions “Re(x)sistentes a la deshumanización digital” aimed at raising public awareness. Within this framework, the exhibition was presented in various spaces in Asunción. It was also presented in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, and translated into English and Portuguese, generating regional interaction.
• Documentary screenings: On one hand, the documentary Inmoral Code, screened in several spaces in Asunción, including Hackerfem, Café Consulado, and IAfter, an event organized by TEDIC to discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence in different contexts. On the other hand, we also organized a film-debate titled “Alto Al Fuego” at the cultural space La Chispa. We screened the documentary 1948: Creation and Catastrophe, which narrates the origins of the conflict between Israel and Palestine and contributed important context to current armed conflicts where dehumanized technology is used in warfare without human mediation, affecting many innocent lives.
• Pandorgas por la Esperanza: We also carried out a kite-flying action for Children’s Day, aimed at collectively reflecting on peace, technology, and possible futures from a community perspective.
TEDIC’s work with the Stop Killer Robots network is part of its commitment to defending human rights in digital environments, raising awareness about the impacts of emerging technologies in contexts of violence and promoting the need to establish clear limits on technological development, placing human life and dignity at the center.