Autonomous Weapons Systems and Victims’ Rights: Assessing the Role of Meaningful Human Control

Sammanfattning

In the last decades, there is growing concern about increasing delegation of life-and-death decisions to Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS), powered by artificial intelligence (AI), which may undermine compliance with international legal principles and weaken accountability for unlawful harm. In particular, this thesis examines the impact of AWS on the protection of victims under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL), focusing on the role of Meaningful Human Control (MHC) as a potential legal safeguard. The topic is significant because AWS challenge the traditional assumption that human judgment governs the use of force. Core principles such as distinction, proportionality, precaution, and the right to life rely on human control and responsibility. As autonomous systems increasingly operate with reduced human involvement, important legal questions arise; for instance, regarding civilian protection, attribution of responsibility, and victims’ access to remedies. The research adopts a doctrinal legal methodology combined with critical normative analysis, based on the analysis of international treaties, UN reports, academic literature, policy documents, and expert commentary concerning AWS, IHL, and IHRL. The thesis finds that AWS risk creating accountability gaps and weakening the effective protection of victims’ rights. Although MHC is not a complete solution to the legal and ethical challenges posed by AWS, it can function as an important safeguard for preserving human responsibility, accountability, and access to remedies under international law.