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Right to Protection and Safety
In all areas of life, both online and offline, children must be protected from any form of violence, abuse, negligence and mistreatment. Along with guidelines and laws that serve the purpose of protecting children, appropriate technical provisions must be implemented, while empowering children for self-protection in the digital world (UN-CRC Art. 3). Protection and safety in the digital world arises from a mix of different instruments and the children’s empowerment for self-protection. It is the duty of parents and pedagogues in educational institutions to promote the empowerment of children, while governments have to provide the legal framework and preconditions. This interplay is described in the model of Intelligent Risk Management. The model constitutes the different strategic goals of protection, based on the development along the child and adolescent phases and, with increasing age of the children, focuses on the growing ability to cope with risks.
Focus
20.09.21World Children's Day 2021: Reason to celebrate children's rights in the digital world!
Jutta Croll, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
Today is World Children's Day. This is a good occasion to let children from all over the world have their say.
21.06.21The European Digital Services Act must deliver for children
5Rights Foundation, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
We must choose to build a digital world that supports and empowers young people and upholds their rights. The Digital Services Act represents a singular opportunity to ensure that children’s rights are respected, embedded, and upheld online. 5Rights Foundation calls upon the European Parliament and Council of Ministers to include a children’s clause in the Digital Services Act
02.05.21More protection, provision, and participation for children on the Internet
Stiftung Digitale Chancen
The new Youth Protection Act came into effect in Germany on May 1, 2021.
30.04.21IGF 2021 Call for Session Proposals
Marlene Fasolt, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
The United Nations Multistakeholder Advisory Group calls for active participation in the programme development for the Internet Governance Forum 2021 (IGF). Stakeholders can submit a variety of types of sessions until 26 May at 23:59 UTC.
05.03.21New youth protection law: PARTICIPATION of children is a top priority
Jutta Croll, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
Today the German Bundestag passed a law to reform youth protection in the media. With the new regulations, the participation of children and adolescents and thus one of the basic principles of the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child is anchored in the German text of law.
Scientific studies
Looking forward: Technological and social change in the lives of European children and young people
Report for the ICT Coalition for Children Online
Blum-Ross, A., Donoso, V., Dinh, T., Mascheroni, G., O’Neill, B., Riesmeyer, C., and Stoilova, M. (2018)., ICT Coalition
The Members of the ICT Coalition for Children Online have recently commissioned a new report on how relationships between technology and the cultural and social practices and institutions that affect children and young people will likely evolve.
August 2018Young Children (0-8) and Digital Technology
A qualitative study across Europe
Stephane Chaudron, Rosanna Di Gioia, Monica Gemo, EU Science Hub - The European Commission's science and knowledge service
The document reports on results of a cross-national analysis building on data coming from 234 family interviews with both children and parents, carried out from September 2014 until April 2017 in 21 countries.
Additional content for: Digital Parenting | Media Education | Digital Literacy | Media Usage | Privacy | Social Media
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Towards a global indicator. On unidentified victims in child sexual exploitation material. Technical Report.
ECPAT International and INTERPOL, ECPAT International und INTERPOL
This report presents the results of a two-part analysis of the multi-country data set contained in the International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) Database housed at INTERPOL and of consultations with law enforcement personnel in relation to the identification of victims and offenders pictured in Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) seized by law enforcement around the world.
Children´s Rights in the German Business Activities
Deutsches Global Compact Netzwerk und Deutsches Komitee für UNICEF e. V.
The rights of children comprise much more areas than child labour in the supply chain, such as family friendly workplaces, product security or marketing. Within the first Germany-wide study on the topic “Children´s Rights in the German Business Activities” 485 companies have been contacted and 100 companies examined with a desktop study.
The Intelligent Risk Management Model
Centre for Child Protection on the Internet, I-KiZ - Zentrum für Kinderschutz im Internet
Based on the findings of the HBI, the I-KiZ works with an Intelligent Risk Management model for youth media protection. The model consists of an age-related concept designed both to avoid confronting children with harmful content and contacts, and to promote strategies to counter and deal with the same.
May 2017Children´s and young people´s rights in the digital age
a series of articles in the SAGE journal; Vol 19, Issue 5, 2017
SAGE Journal, SAGE Journal
In Vol 19, Issue 5, 2017 of the SAGE Journal in the New Media & Society category, there are a number of contributions to children's rights in the digital age.
Additional content for: Accessibility | Digital Parenting | Vulnerable Children | Internet Governance | Internet Policy | Youth Protection | Media Education | Media Usage | Privacy | Sexting | Social Media | UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
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Global Kids Online
Researching on children's rights in the digital age
UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti, London School of Economics and Political Science
Global Kids Online is an international research project that aims to generate and sustain a rigorous cross-national evidence base around children’s use of the internet by creating a global network of researchers and experts.
Official documents
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN-CRC) - full text
UN-Committee on the Rights of the Child, Vereinte Nationen
Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989, entry into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49
EU Strategy on the Right’s of the Child - Fact Sheet
The European Commission has developed a new strategy to protect children’s rights
EU Strategy on the Right’s of the Child
The European Commission has developed a new strategy to protect children’s rights.
March 2021General Comment No. 25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has published a General Comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment.
Explanatory Notes on the General Comment No. 25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment
Explanatory Notes on the General Comment No. 25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment.
General comment draft on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment
by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Committee on the Rights of the Child is currently drafting a general comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. The draft of the general comment can be found here.
January 2016Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
ECPAT International, ECPAT Germany
The Terminology Guidelines provide guidance for the understanding and use of terms and concepts for individuals and agencies working for the prevention and elimination of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children.
January 2002Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The Optional Protocol is a supplement to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and obliges all signatory parties to prohibit the sale of children, child prostitution and depiction of sexual abuse of children (so-called child pornography).
October 2019Guidelines for the Implementation of the Optional Protocol CRC/C/156
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The Guidelines adapt the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol to today's (digital) environment.
White Paper on Online Harms
britische Regierung, Staatssekretär für Digital, Kultur, Medien und Sport
Guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment
Council of Europe, Europarat
The guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment were adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 4 July 2018. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist states and other relevant stakeholders in their efforts to adopt a comprehensive, strategic approach in building and containing the often complex world of the digital environment.
Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on the rights of the child in the digital environment
Council of Europe, Europarat
How to better respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment is at the core of the new Recommendation adopted today by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. Building on international and European legal instruments, the text provides comprehensive guidelines for action by European governments. The digital environment shapes children’s lives in many ways, creating opportunities and risks to their well-being and enjoyment of human rights. Governments are recommended to review their legislation, policies and practices to ensure that these adequately address the full range of the rights of the child. States should also ensure that business enterprises and other key partners meet their human rights responsibilities and are held accountable in case of abuses.
Additional content for: Internet Governance | Internet Policy | UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
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The Declaration of Rome
Pontificia Universita Gregoriana; World Congress: Child Dignity in the Digital World
From 3rd to 6th of October 2017 the Child Dignity World Congress took place at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. Among the 30 speakers at the congress was Jutta Croll, representing the project „Children’s Rights and Child protection“ at Stiftung Digitale Chancen. In a concluding audience the „Declaration of Rome“ was presented to Pope Francis by the congress participants, appealing governments, industry and the civil society to stand up for the protection of the rights and the dignity of children.
- May 2011
Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
Convention No. 210; Istanbul
Council of Europe
This new landmark treaty of the Council of Europe opens the path for creating a legal framework at pan-European level to protect women against all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence. The definition of “women” includes girls under the age of 18.
- October 2007
Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
Convention No. 201; Lanzarote
Council of Europe, Europarat
This Convention is the first instrument to establish the various forms of sexual abuse of children as criminal offences, including such abuse committed in the home or family, with the use of force, coercion or threats.
- November 2001
Convention on Cybercrime
ETS No 185; Budapest
Council of Europe, Europarat
The Convention is the first international treaty on crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks, dealing particularly with infringements of copyright, computer-related fraud, child pornography and violations of network security. It also contains a series of powers and procedures such as the search of computer networks and interception.
- May 1996
European Social Charter (revised)
Covention No. 163; Strasbourg
Council of Europe, Europarat
The European Social Charter (revised) of 1996 embodies in one instrument all rights guaranteed by the Charter of 1961, its additional Protocol of 1988 (ETS No. 128) and adds new rights and amendments adopted by the Parties. It is gradually replacing the initial 1961 treaty.
