CHILDREN’S RIGHTS AND DIGITAL MEDIA – EQUAL AND SAFE ACCESS AND EMPOWERMENT

GENEVA (4 September 2014) – How children use, benefit from and can also be harmed by digital media will be the focus of discussions organised by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva on Friday 12 September.

The Day of General Discussion on “Digital media and children’s rights” will bring together experts from the fields of communications and media, digital technology, data protection, and human rights. Children themselves are also invited to share their experiences via:
Twitter (#DGD2014)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/788040757902342/)
Google+ (https://plus.google.com/events/cche75trhvncpv2sj95gslfuqjo#events/cche75trhvncpv2sj95gslfuqjo).

Participants will analyse the issue of children’s equal and safe access to digital media and information and communications technology, and children’s empowerment and engagement through digital media and information and communications technology.

“We know that for many children today digital media is an integral part of their lives. This can be hugely positive, opening up new opportunities and offering multiple ways to learn, engage, participate, play, work or socialise,” said Committee Chair Kirsten Sandberg. “We want to use these discussions and consultations to help develop rights-based strategies to maximize the online opportunities for children, while protecting them from possible harm and danger.”

The Committee on the Rights of the Child, which monitors how states implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child, will issue a report on children’s rights and digital media during its January 2015 session.

“We want to have a better understanding of these issues to help us when we examine how states are implementing and upholding children’s rights with regard to digital media,” Ms. Sandberg said.

Discussions will take place from 10:00-18:00 in Room XVII, Palais des Nations, Geneva, and will be webcast here: http://www.treatybodywebcast.org/.

Join the event on Twitter using #DGD2014 and follow @UNRightsWire for live updates.

Detailed programme and participants: http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CRC/Discussions/2014/DGD_CRC2014_Programme.pdf

For more information, please contact Katrin Tiroch (+41 (0) 22 917 9824/ ktiroch@ohchr.org or dgd-crc@ohchr.org)

For media requests, please contact Liz Throssell (+41 (0) 22 917 9466/ ethrossell@ohchr.org)

To learn more about the Committee on the Rights of the Child, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex.aspx

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For use of the information media; not an official record

CRC14/014E