Maha Jouini Logo
Research at the Intersection of AI, Ethics, and Policy
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS

Research at the Intersection of AI, Ethics, and Policy

Advancing digital sovereignty, Pan-African ethical AI frameworks, and inclusive technology policy across North Africa and the Global South.

I Didn't Choose Cancer. I Chose What Came Next.

I Didn't Choose Cancer. I Chose What Came Next.

Reimagining AI Governance for the Global South: Dreaming Before We Presume to Solve

Reimagining AI Governance for the Global South: Dreaming Before We Presume to Solve

Beyond drums and dances: reclaiming Pan-African youth leadership in the digital age

Beyond drums and dances: reclaiming Pan-African youth leadership in the digital age

SCHOLARLY WORKS & POLICY

Featured Publications & Opinions

I Didn't Choose Cancer. I Chose What Came Next.
Opinion
2026
CHIFAA

I Didn't Choose Cancer. I Chose What Came Next.

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini•4 min•2,371 views

This personal narrative explores the intersection of lived experience, healthcare, and artificial intelligence following a Stage IIB breast cancer diagnosis. It details the inception of CHIFAA, an AI-powered platform designed to provide culturally grounded, multilingual support for women facing breast and cervical cancer across North Africa. Ultimately, the piece emphasizes the necessity of human-centered AI governance that incorporates missing voices and adapts technology to human needs.

Read Article
Reimagining AI Governance for the Global South: Dreaming Before We Presume to Solve
Academic Paper
2025
Stanford Tech Ethics & Public Policy Practitioner Program

Reimagining AI Governance for the Global South: Dreaming Before We Presume to Solve

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini•8 min•2,451 views

Drawing from Stanford's Tech Ethics & Public Policy Practitioner Program, this paper examines why artificial intelligence governance in the Global South must move beyond technical fairness toward systemic justice. Rooted in African and Arab realities, it advocates for grounding AI policy in philosophies of Ubuntu and Hikma to protect vulnerable workers, counter digital colonialism, and ensure accountability over automated systems.

Read Article
Beyond drums and dances: reclaiming Pan-African youth leadership in the digital age
Opinion
2025
The Star

Beyond drums and dances: reclaiming Pan-African youth leadership in the digital age

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini•8 min•1,922 views

This opinion piece critically addresses the systemic marginalization faced by African youth—particularly young women and rural girls—and calls for moving beyond performative celebrations toward structural inclusion. Highlighting regional realities from northern Cameroon to urban Tunisia, it details how young Africans are leveraging digital tools as "liberation technologies" to organize civic movements, challenge authoritarianism, and drive continental transformation. Ultimately, it outlines a practical framework for educational, political, and economic empowerment rooted in Pan-African values and digital rights protection.

Read Article
Women in Technology Across Africa: Lessons from Tunisia and South Africa's Digital Transformation
Academic Paper
2025
Independent Policy Research

Women in Technology Across Africa: Lessons from Tunisia and South Africa's Digital Transformation

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini•11 min•2,436 views

This comparative analysis examines the digital gender paradox across Tunisia and South Africa, where high female educational attainment in STEM contrasts sharply with low representation in technological leadership. It explores key structural bottlenecks—including the rural-urban divide, online gender-based violence, and access to capital—while presenting policy frameworks for a feminist digital transformation across the African continent.

Read Article
When Social inequalities are growing: why are women the first victims of poverty in Tunisia?
Academic Paper
2023
Published in Visto International

When Social inequalities are growing: why are women the first victims of poverty in Tunisia?

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini•7 min•1,376 views

This paper examines the structural and economic drivers behind the feminization of poverty in post-2011 Tunisia, analyzing the impacts of internal rural-to-urban migration, labor market exclusion, and disproportionate unemployment on women. It highlights how economic instability and caregiving burdens exacerbate female poverty, offering policy recommendations for legislative reforms in wage parity, land ownership, and social protection infrastructure.

Read Article
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Surveillance Camera Systems: Facial Recognition Growth
Academic Paper
2020
American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER)

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Surveillance Camera Systems: Facial Recognition Growth

Maha Jouini
Maha Jouini•3 min•2,505 views

This peer-reviewed study investigates how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision enhance surveillance systems through real-time facial recognition and intelligent video analytics. It proposes an adaptive software architecture that overcomes operational challenges like poor lighting and crowded environments to automate security and attendance management. The research highlights the transformative capacity of intelligent systems across public and private infrastructures.

Read Article