A/HRC/RES/58/6 rights impacts, integrating and acting upon the findings, tracking responses and communicating how impacts are addressed, Bearing in mind that neurotechnology allows the connecting of the human brain directly to digital networks through devices and procedures that may be used, among other things, to access, monitor, modulate and alter the neural system and the mind of the person, the effects and implications of which are yet to be fully understood, Recognizing that neurotechnology could be promising for human health and innovation, but that, at the same time, the continued development of some of its applications may pose a number of ethical, legal and societal questions and has implications for human dignity and autonomy, making it necessary to ensure that human rights are effectively respected, protected and fulfilled in this context, Recognizing also that neurotechnologies have the potential to create diverse opportunities, including enhancing communication, supporting education and learning, improving accessibility and mobility, promoting inclusion and embracing neurodiversity, advancing mental health and well-being, offering new possibilities for pain management and fostering innovation in brain-computer interface, Noting with concern that the rapid development of neurotechnology presents challenges to physical and mental integrity and the safeguarding of human rights, including but not limited to the right to equality and non-discrimination, the right to freedom of thought, the right to privacy, the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and the right to a fair trial and essential procedural guarantees, Taking into consideration that the report on ethical issues of neurotechnology by the International Bioethics Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization indicates that the growing neurotechnological possibilities for modifying the neural system, and potentially the mind, including in an invasive and pervasive way, necessitate consideration of the integrity of the human body, in particular the brain and the mind, Mindful of the need to enable access for all persons, including those in vulnerable situations, to human rights-compliant, safe and reliable neurotechnologies under nondiscriminatory and affordable conditions and to ensure that their human dignity and rights are effectively protected in practice from negative impacts and misuses in the development and implementation phases, while also ensuring access to neurotechnologies for persons who can benefit from them for health and medical purposes, Emphasizing that all neurotechnological interventions on humans should always require prior, informed, free, real, transparent, effective and explicit consent, which can be revoked at any time, and that all persons, including those in vulnerable situations, must be effectively protected from medical treatment and research to which they are unable to consent, Noting that, in his 2021 report entitled “Our Common Agenda”,1 the SecretaryGeneral stated that consideration should be given to updating or clarifying the application of human rights frameworks and standards to address frontier issues and prevent harms in the digital or technology spaces, including in neurotechnology, Noting also that the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief has highlighted that, while neurotechnology advances hold tremendous promise for treating certain medical conditions, some of its applications might lead to modification or manipulation of thoughts inside the brain, thus affecting the right to freedom of thought,2 Noting further that the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy has highlighted the need for effective protection of human rights, including the right to privacy, in the design and 1 2 2 A/75/982. See A/76/380.