UNESCO Strengthens Iraq’s Future Judiciary with Artificial Intelligence Training

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape societies worldwide, Iraq’s judicial system is preparing for a future in which courts must confront crimes committed through algorithms, digital evidence and rapidly evolving technologies.

To address these emerging challenges, UNESCO has successfully concluded a specialised five-month training programme on artificial intelligence for students at the Iraqi Judicial Institute: the country’s future judges and public prosecutors. The initiative aims to equip Iraq’s next generation of legal professionals with the knowledge and tools required to operate within an increasingly digital justice system.

The programme was implemented under the Social Media for Peace (SM4P) Project, funded by the European Union, alongside the Multi-Donors Programme for Freedom of Expression (MDP). It combined legal theory with practical application, enabling participants to examine how artificial intelligence is transforming court procedures, evidence evaluation and new forms of cyber and technology-related crime. The training was delivered by Dr Dhea Thabit and was based on UNESCO’s global toolkit, Artificial Intelligence and the Roles of the Judiciary.

In a landmark development reflecting the programme’s success, Iraq’s judiciary has officially incorporated artificial intelligence studies into the Judicial Institute’s formal curriculum. The move ensures that AI literacy will become a core component of judicial education rather than a specialised elective subject.

Building on this achievement, plans are already underway to expand the initiative across Iraqi courts. Beginning next year, the Judicial Institute intends to offer two five-month training courses annually, strengthening institutional sustainability and enhancing the judiciary’s readiness to manage complex digital transformations.

Source: UNESCO Iraq