Ethics

Since its involvement in promoting international reflection on the ethics of life sciences in the 1970s, UNESCO continues to build and reinforce linkages among ethicists, scientists, policy-makers, judges, journalists, and civil society to assist Member States in enacting sound and reasoned policies on ethical issues in science and technology.

Laboratory of ideas

UNESCO addresses the emerging ethical challenges by providing an intellectual forum for multidisciplinary, pluralistic and multicultural reflection on ethics of science and technology – via the:

International Bioethics Committee (IBC);
Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee (IGBC);
World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST).

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Standard-setter

Pioneering normative action

Declaration of Ethical Principles in relation to Climate Change

2017

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Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers

2017

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Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights

2005

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International Declaration on Human Genetic Data

2003

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Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights

1997

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UNESCO's main work in the field of Ethics

UNESCO developed the Global Ethics Observatory (GEObs), a free global repository of updated information on ethics institutions, experts, legislation, codes of conduct and teaching programmes around the world;
As a capacity-builder, UNESCO provides Member States with the necessary tools and technical support for the enhancement of their national ethics infrastructure through the Assisting Bioethics Committees (ABC) and the Ethics Education Programme (EEP); and
UNESCO cooperates with key international stakeholders in the field of ethics of science and technology and fostering coordination among the major actors through the United Nations Inter-Agency Committee on Bioethics.

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UNESCO Avicenna Prize for Ethics in Science

The UNESCO Avicenna Prize for Ethics in Science is awarded every two years to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in the field of ethics in science.

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