Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: Report on achievements by child rights NGOs at the World Summit on the Information Society (Tunis, November 2005). Information about the events, discussions and decisions that took place during WSIS.
Children are mentioned in the Tunis Agenda (Article 90 q and 92) and the Tunis Commitment (Article 24). Tunis Agenda - Article 90. incorporating regulatory, self-regulatory, and other effective policies and frameworks to protect children and young people from abuse and exploitation through ICTs into national plans of action and e-strategies; - Article 92. We encourage countries, including all other interested parties, to make available child helplines, taking into account the need for mobilization of appropriate resources. For this purpose, easy-to-remember numbers, accessible from all phones and free of charge, should be made available. Tunis Commitment - Article 24. We recognize the role of ICTs in the protection and in enhancing the development of children. We will strengthen action to protect children from abuse and defend their rights in the context of ICTs. In that context, we emphasize that the best interests of the child are a primary consideration. The above articles signify major milestones achieved in placing children on the telecoms agenda. Having achieved the above, all children networks and NGOs will be able to adequately lobby for children’s rights and protection. On Thursday 17th November 2005, CHI signed an MOU with ITU. This gives CHI access to lobbying with telecom providers globally. During the same event, through ITU’s Partner’s to Connect the World initiative, CHI launched the Global Portal. This initiative has been supported by the Dutch Government. - ECPAT International had a side event on "WSIS and e-child protection: Protecting children from sexual exploitation through ICTs." The session outlined the problems, responses and what WSIS Tunis could do to protect children from sexual exploitation through ICTs. It included a presentation of the new report on, Violence Against Children in Cyberspace. The speakers included: Ms CARMEN MADRIÑÁN, ECPAT International Mrs. MARGARET KILLERBY, Head, Department of Crime Problems, Legal Affairs Directorate, Council of Europe Mr. ADO VAHER, Head of UN Affairs for UNICEF - Moderator - Children’s Caucus: The Tunisian Children’s Rights Organisation chaired by Jemmeledine Khemakhem organised a side event on 17th November 2005. The main topics for discussion included; information society; children’s rights and sustainable development. Participants included: Ms NAJET KARABORNI, ECOSOC Mr. BERNARD COMBY, ITE Mr. JACOB EGBERT DOEK, CRC Prof. HATEM KOTRANE, member of CRC International Foundation of World Children Ocaproce International Child Helpline International ECPAT International Mr. MICHEL TRIMARCHI, President of IPV and CEU Mr. CLAUDE CHERBUIN, DAPSI Mr. JAMELEDDINE KHEMAKHEM, Secretary General of L’Atude - BBC Interview : ECPAT International did an interview with BBC on children and internet safety. - Plenary Session : ECPAT International spoke during the plenary session. Recently Civil Society issued a draft of the WSIS Civil Society Declaration. This document is currently open for input. CHI thought of including the paragraph on e-child that was originally drafted for the joint submission by all children’s NGOs and networks in September but was not included in the Tunis Declaration. As we did for the joint submission, it would be great if all children’s NGOs and networks could collaborate to support the text. The draft text reads as follows : E-child a) Ensure that countries pass a resolution stating that ITU recognizes the importance of placing children on the telecom agenda. b) Encourage the private sector to make ICT’s available to all children. c) Ensure that every child and young person, especially those who are marginalized and disadvantaged, has free access to ICTs including, but not limited to, toll free landlines, mobile phones and internet connection. d) Strategies should be developed to : i) Ensure that children and young people are empowered to reap the benefits that ICTs offer, including making ICTs an integral part of the formal and informal educational sectors. ii) Protect children and young people from the potential risks posed by using new technologies (including mobile devices), including access to inappropriate content, inappropriate or unwanted contact and commercial pressures. e) Recognise and prevent the use of ICTs to abuse children, particularly with regards to pornography, paedophilia and sexual trafficking. f) Use ICTs in recording child births. CHI would like to thank all NGOs involved for their time, efforts and support that allowed them to achieve the above.
Ms SIGMA HUDA, UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons
"ICTs and trafficking of children for sexual exploitation "
"Findings and Agenda for Action from the report ‘Violence against Children in Cyberspace’, for the UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence Against Children"
"The Convention on Cyber crime and international e-child protection"
Session Président
Addressed the challenges associated with protecting children’s rights in the new information society.
President of the Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Rights of the Child and ICT’s ; A Holistic Approach
The Rights of the Child and Sustainable Development
A presentation of the project : The Fight Against Poverty
Telephone network for the protection and relief of children
The eradication of child pornography ; child prostitution and sexual trafficking of children
Children’s Rights and Ethics
Synthesis Rapport
Closing Remarks