International child abduction – conflict of parents and laws detrimental to children

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Empowerment, Exploitation, Freedom, Human Rights

In the past few years, the number of cases involving international child abduction has risen significantly. International child abduction is, unfortunately, becoming a common trend which usually occurs during a heated or emotional marital dispute, in the early stages of separation or divorce, or in the waiting period of a court custody order or agreement. […]

The influence of emotional artificial intelligence and digital toys on child development

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education, Exploitation

Children’s play-spaces are increasingly permeated by modern technologies. As the world transitions into the digital age, children are more frequently exposed to digital toys. In particular, recent years have seen the rise of emotional artificial intelligence (AI) toys; items which collect data from children and adapt their functionality accordingly. Though this development is not without […]

The impact of Covid-19 on child labour in cobalt mines in the DRC

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom, Health, Labour

Last year, after schools and businesses closed during the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, remote working and learning via video-conferencing were increasingly relied on, even becoming the main means of communication. As a result there was a 26% hike in sales of electronic devices such as smartphones, computers and tablets. The health crisis was […]

Do Screens Hijack Children’s Attention Spans? Understanding the Impact of Screen Time on Child Development

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom

As the world continues to evolve, children are no longer exempt from the increasingly wide reaches of technological innovation. Gone are the days when children would solely dream of green grass and imaginative outdoor games. Today, many children are closely familiar with the online world from an infantile age. This exposure to the Internet can […]

The Year to End Child Labour

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom, Labour, Poverty

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has marked 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, with the aim of encouraging legislative and policy action that would eradicate the scourge of child labour worldwide. However, unless appropriate mechanisms are designed to mitigate the decline in child labour wages, a ban on child labour […]

Understanding the Ramifications of ‘Sharenting’: Children’s “Right to be forgotten”

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom

Digital technologies permeate every sector of modern society and children’s lives are no exception. Innovative platforms have reshaped children’s experience of the world, presenting new risks that substantially affect their human rights. ‘Sharenting’ is one such risk; as it creates a traceable digital footprint which is attached to children without their consent (Haley, 2020). This […]

“Kidfluencers” and Social Media: The Evolution of Child Exploitation in the Digital Age

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom, Labour

Influencer marketing is one of the fastest-growing segments of the corporate industry; the attention of the masses is just one easy, accessible click away (60 Minutes Australia, 2020). Personal media sources such as home videos have quickly become a lucrative market, which raises stern questions about the role of parents in safeguarding their children’s rights […]

Children’s Rights and Digital Technologies: Children’s Privacy in the Age of Social Media – The Perils of “Sharenting”

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom

In today’s globalized world, children often make their Internet debut before they are even born, usually appearing on their parents’ social media platforms as hazy ultrasound images (LaFrance, 2016). Though these children may become aware of their digital footprint and online identity at an early age, they remain powerless in asserting their rights, with parents […]

Protective Custody of Unaccompanied Child Migrants in Greece: A Long-Standing Practice is Coming to an End

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Freedom, Migration

As announced on 18 November 2020 by Notis Mitarachi, Greek Migration and Asylum Minister, Greece is abolishing the long-standing scheme of protective custody of unaccompanied child migrants. This practice is not only endangering the physical and mental well-being of children, but it also violates international, European and Greek domestic law in relation to the rights […]

Historic Commitment to End Worst Forms of Child Labor

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Discover India, Exploitation, Freedom, Labour

At the beginning of August 2020, all member countries (187) of the International Labor Organization (ILO) ratified ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, an event which international organizations such as Human Rights Watch (here HRW) welcomed as an “important milestone”.[1] (Wurth, 2020) In an unprecedented move, all member countries universally […]