COVID-19 and conflict-related sexual violence against children

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Explotation, violence

In occasion of the 7th official observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba addressed the issue of conflict-related sexual violence against children within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the worrisome situation of children born of […]

Hungary’s new anti-LGBTQI+ law: deterioration of the spirit of understanding, peace and tolerance

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Explotation, Freedom, Human Rights, LGBTQ+ Rights

On 15 June 2021, the Hungarian government passed a new law that was quickly followed by international outrage. The law, originally drafted to further criminalise paedophilia, could have severe consequences on the rights of LGBTQI+ children. However, the Hungarian government has insisted that the law was passed to protect the children and their rights. What […]

UNCRC landmark adoption of the General Comment on children’s rights in the digital environment

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Empowerment, Explotation

On 24 March 2021, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child officially launched their new General Comment No. 25 on Children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. The adoption of this General Comment signals the first time that children’s digital experiences are mentioned within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) […]

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

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Empowerment, Explotation, 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, Explotation

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, Explotation, 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, Explotation, 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, Explotation, 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, Explotation, 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, Explotation, 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 […]