Warsaw, Poland — INIS Senior Research Fellow Dr. Jowanka Jakubek-Lalik took part in the Warsaw Dialogue for Democracy 2025, one of the flagship international events hosted annually by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This year’s conference focused on a highly timely theme: “Democracy and International Security: Human Rights Defenders at the Frontline of Freedom.”

Dr. Jakubek-Lalik contributed to Panel 4: “Human rights and economic development in the era of AI and the energy transition”, where she spoke alongside Chancellor Robert Grey and Dr. Pawel Kuczma of the University of Warsaw.

During the discussion, Dr. Jakubek-Lalik examined the human rights implications of rapid technological and economic transitions, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence and the global shift toward new energy systems. She emphasized that periods of structural transition often give rise not to overt violations, but to subtle administrative mechanisms that can reward political loyalty or quietly marginalize vulnerable groups — all under the appearance of routine bureaucratic action.

Her central message underlined a crucial point for policymakers worldwide:

AI-driven reforms and the energy transition will strengthen democracy only if fairness, transparency, and accountability are built into the everyday administrative procedures of the state.
Human rights, she argued, are protected not only through constitutional principles, but through the “small decisions” that determine people’s access to work, services, support, and dignity.

Dr. Jakubek-Lalik expressed gratitude to the organizers, her co-panelists, and the audience for a substantive and engaging debate, noting that discussions of this kind are vital at a time when democratic institutions worldwide face growing pressure.

“The way we design today’s transitions will define the democratic resilience of tomorrow,” she concluded.