New General Comment on children’s rights in the digital environment

Date: 12th February 2021
Category: General Comments

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The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has adopted General Comment 25. The new document considers the risks and opportunities of the digital environment and how to ensure children’s rights are protected, respected and fulfilled.

General Comment 25 emphasises the importance of protecting children from the risk of harm that exists in the digital environment, but it also considers the importance of the digital environment as means which can support children in accessing information on realising the full range of their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

It highlights that a balance must be struck between protecting children and young people, and ensuring digital access as an essential part of 21^st Century living. It also acknowledges the digital divide further exposed by the impacts of COVID-19 and the importance of access for children and young people to public resources in order to maintain their digital rights.

The publication of the draft General Comment has been welcomed by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland who was particularly pleased with the extent to which the Committee engaged with children and young people when drafting this General Comment.

The new document will be unveiled on the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights website once it has undergone final editing and translation. 

• Find out more about General Comment 25 here.
• Read Together's joint submission to the UN Committee alongside Child Rights Connect and others here.