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Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Office of Counter-Terrorism (Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµOCT)¡¯s Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme delivered a keynote presentation at the ITU AI for Good Global Summit on Leveraging AI for Mental Health Support in Crisis Settings, on 7 July 2026.
The keynote featured the latest insights and findings from the recent Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµOCT report, ¡°Gap Analysis of Digital Tools to Support Victims of Terrorism,¡± as well as ongoing multi-sectoral initiatives under Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµOCT¡¯s ¡°Tech for Victims of Terrorism¡± project, which is carried out with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
Amid growing global recognition of the immediate and long-term needs of survivors, the session explored how to responsibly and safely harness artificial intelligence to improve mental health outcomes for victims of terrorism. The presentation addressed the delicate balance required to deploy digital innovation without compromising data privacy, safety, human dignity, or local ownership, while ensuring that no victim of terrorism gets left behind by innovation.
Drawing from on-the-ground research and lived experiences of victims of terrorism shared by the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN), the session outlined three concrete, scalable pathways designed to help conflict-affected populations access timely, high-quality psychosocial support when traditional infrastructure is compromised:
- Digital victim registries that allow governments to register victims in one central database that can be used to connect victims of terrorism to lifesaving support and services while keeping sensitive data safe and secure.
- Surge mental health support delivered through AI-enabled mental health platforms that can triage, match patients with providers, and provide crisis care.
- Digital mental health support services in locations where reliable, in-person, expert assistance is not an option, through offline-first, on-device companion apps for community health workers.
The ITU AI for Good Global Summit is organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva. It serves as a collaborative hub where tech innovators, global leaders, policymakers, and conflict-affected communities connect to scale AI solutions that align directly with the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This keynote was selected as part of this year¡¯s theme ¡°AI for Health.¡±
