GENEVA — Microsoft announced Tuesday that it intends to contribute $5 million over five years to the United Nations human rights office, assistance the Geneva-based agency called a “landmark partnership” that could prod other big private-sector donors to follow suit.
The Redmond, Washington-based company plans to develop and use technology to help the U.N. rights office “predict, analyze and respond to critical human rights situations” at a time of arbitrary killings, rapes, detentions without trial and other abuses around the world.
“As a global company that sees the problems of the world, we believe that we have a responsibility to help solve them,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said.
The partnership was launched quietly last year. U.N. human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said it reflects a commitment to using technology to promote human rights and recognition of the role the private sector can play in advancing that cause.