The document confirms the shared commitment to fostering an approach to artificial intelligence based on children's rights and calls for coordinated action to ensure that AI is designed, developed and governed in a way that respects, protects and fulfils the rights of the child. In addition to the United Nations organisations, the statement is also supported by more than 50 organisations, including the Digital Opportunities Foundation.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), UNICEF, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), UNESCO, UNICRI, UNODA, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Representatives of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and on Violence against Children, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children issued the Joint Statement on Artificial Intelligence and the Rights of the Child in Geneva on 19 January 2026.

On Wednesday, Dec. 17th, 2025 the United Nations General Assembly have agreed on the Outcome Document of the WSIS +20 Review and established a permanent mandate for the Internet Governance Forum.

To mark the fourth anniversary of GC25, the report “The Impact of General Comment No. 25 in the UNCRC Review Process” by the Digital Futures for Children Centre in the Department of Media and Communication, in partnership with the 5Rights Foundation, was released. The report examines how General Comment No. 25 is incorporated into and implemented in current political and legal processes. Further details can be found in our article.

Although children and young people make up about one third of internet users worldwide, their perspectives are still rarely taken into account in technology-related policies, design processes, and decision-making structures. To counter this, the authors Sonia Livingstone and Kruakae Pothong argue that a tool such as the “Child Rights Impact Assessment Tool” can serve as a practical instrument for integrating children’s rights more comprehensively, early on, and systematically into political and administrative decision-making processes.

The article highlights the most important arguments and summarizes the key policy demands of the Eurochild position paper “Protecting children online without silencing them.”

On 10 September, the Internet Governance Forum Germany (IGF-D) met in Berlin to discuss current issues and developments in the governance and regulation of the internet. Under this year's motto, ‘Trust, Responsibility, Networking: Internet Governance in Uncertain Times,’ representatives from the fields of politics, business, technology, civil society, science and research, as well as youth, met in their national structure (NRI)to reflect on relevant aspects from a German perspective.

18 organizations and experts, including members of the European Parliament (MEP) and the EP Intergroup on Children's Rights, have jointly addressed an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the occasion of the State of Union speech. In the letter, they call for a renewal and strengthening of the commitment to protecting and enforcing children's rights through the effective implementation of EU regulations in the digital sphere by the European Commission.

Starting in autumn 2025, an expert commission will examine the steps necessary for effective protection of children and young people in the media. Federal Youth Minister Karin Prien presented the commission's members, objectives and working methods at a federal press conference.

The European Union is currently developing an action plan against cyberbullying, which will include concrete measures for adults, educational institutions, and online platforms. The aim is to better protect, support, and empower children and young people in the digital space.