Islamabad:
The Special Talent Exchange Program (step) officially launched the first Pakistan AI Chatbot for disabled people.
This initiative was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and with generous support from the European Union (EU).
The launch event took place at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), where representatives of government, civil society and the academic world were present.
The chatbot is launched under the theme “An initiative for a peaceful and inclusive society”. Designed as a multilingual and accessible digital support tool, Noor AI is the first of its kind in Pakistan. It meets the specific needs of people with disabilities, especially women, who are often faced with systemic exclusion in access to vital services. The Chatbot also offers confidential advice and based on the rights to the rights of disabled people, inclusive education, employment possibilities, legal aid, the protection of sexist violence (GBV) and awareness of the prevention of violent extremism (PVE).
In his opening remarks, the executive director of STEP, Muhammad Atif Sheikh, called Noor AI “a stimulating digital platform for women and young people affected by disability and marginalization.
The sharing of the ideas of the broader STEP initiative, “empowering disabled women to prevent and counter violent extremism (P / CVE)”, in particular in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he stressed how national action plans and CVE policies in Pakistan often neglect their handicap and double marginalization.
“Noor AI is not only a chatbot; it is a tool for consolidating peace. It fills the shortcomings of digital access, legal consciousness and psychosocial support, which are all essential to inclusive resilience,” he noted.
The programs of stage director, Abia Akram, underlined the urgency of the reform of inclusive policies in Pakistan. She underlined the need to ensure that people with disabilities are not only beneficiaries but also leaders in digital spaces and peacebuilding.
