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Groups in need of attention, limitations to the right to freedom of expression, and protection of journalists 2010, para. 79h (ii)
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur proposes the following principles for determining the conditions that must be satisfied in order for a limitation or restriction on freedom of expression to be permissible:] Certain very specific limitations are legitimate if they are necessary in order for the State to fulfil an obligation to prohibit certain expressions on the grounds that they cause serious injury to the human rights of others. These include the following: Article 3, paragraph 1 (c), of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, which provides that States must ensure that their criminal law covers "producing, distributing, disseminating, importing, exporting, offering, selling or possessing [...] child pornography";
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Key trends and challenges to the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet 2011, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- States are obliged to guarantee a free flow of ideas and information and the right to seek and receive as well as to impart information and ideas over the Internet. States are also required under international law to prohibit under its criminal law the following types of content: (a) child pornography; (b) direct and public incitement to commit genocide; (c) advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence; and (d) incitement to terrorism. However, the Special Rapporteur reminds all States that any such laws must also comply with the three criteria of restrictions to the right to freedom of expression, namely: prescription by unambiguous law; pursuance of a legitimate purpose; and respect for the principles of necessity and proportionality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Key trends and challenges to the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet 2011, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur underscores that there are differences between illegal content, which States are required to prohibit under international law, such as child pornography, and those that are considered harmful, offensive, objectionable or undesirable, but which States are neither required to prohibit nor criminalize. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur believes that it is important to make a clear distinction between three types of expression: (a) expression that constitutes an offence under international law and can be prosecuted criminally; (b) expression that is not criminally punishable but may justify a restriction and a civil suit; and (c) expression that does not give rise to criminal or civil sanctions, but still raises concerns in terms of tolerance, civility and respect for others. These different categories of content pose different issues of principle and call for different legal and technological responses.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Key trends and challenges to the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet 2011, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- Addressing child pornography online has become a major focus for regulation owing to the fact that the Internet has become the main gateway for the distribution of such content. The dissemination of child pornography is explicitly prohibited under international law, notably in the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (defined in article 2 (c)). The Optional Protocol requires States parties to ensure that, as a minimum, producing, distributing, disseminating, importing, exporting, offering, selling or possessing child pornography (for purposes set out in article 3) are fully covered under its criminal or penal law, whether such offences are committed domestically or transnationally or on an individual or organized basis (article 3, para. 1 (c)).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Key trends and challenges to the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet 2011, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Child pornography is therefore a clear exception to the rule, and dissemination of content via the Internet is legitimately restricted, and States are even required to prohibit it as a criminal offence. As noted by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in her report to the Council at its twelfth session, the relevant legislation should be clear and comprehensive and should treat child pornography on the Internet as a grave violation of the rights of the child and as a criminal act. The Special Rapporteur considers that child pornography constitutes an act of violence against children and an offence to their human dignity, which provokes more violence against children. Moreover, the victim's privacy must be protected and appropriate protection measures and care adapted to the needs and characteristics of children must be available.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Key trends and challenges to the right of all individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds through the Internet 2011, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur underscores that, as with any limitation, legislation prohibiting the dissemination of child pornography through the Internet, for example through the use of blocking and filtering technologies, must be sufficiently precise, and that there must be adequate and effective safeguards against abuse or misuse, including oversight and review by an independent and impartial tribunal or regulatory body. In addition, the Special Rapporteur reiterates that given the links between the sale of children, trafficking in children, forced labour, child prostitution, sex tourism and child pornography, States must also go beyond blocking measures to address the root causes of exploitation of children in a holistic manner and must investigate and prosecute those responsible.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right to freedom of opinion and expression exercised through the Internet 2011, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur notes that child pornography is one clear exception where blocking measures can be justified, provided that the national law is sufficiently precise and there are effective safeguards against abuse or misuse, including oversight and review by an independent and impartial tribunal or regulatory body. However, he is also concerned that States frequently rely heavily on blocking measures, rather than focusing their efforts on prosecuting those responsible for the production and dissemination of child pornography. Additionally, as child pornography is often a by-product of trafficking and prostitution of children, the Special Rapporteur urges States to take holistic measures to combat the root problems that give rise to child pornography.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right to freedom of opinion and expression exercised through the Internet 2011, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- With regard to child pornography, the Special Rapporteur notes that it is one clear exception where blocking measures are justified, provided that the national law is sufficiently precise and there are sufficient safeguards against abuse or misuse to prevent any "mission creep", including oversight and review by an independent and impartial tribunal or regulatory body. However, the Special Rapporteur calls upon States to focus their efforts on prosecuting those responsible for the production and dissemination of child pornography, rather than on blocking measures alone.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred 2012, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- A first essential element of any strategy to combat hate speech is prevention. To this end, it is crucial to provide education and raise awareness about human rights, tolerance and knowledge of other cultures and religions. When a State ratifies an international human rights instrument, it has the duty to raise levels of awareness of the rights contained therein among the population at large (CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/ Add.13, para. 7). The school education system is a prime avenue to do so. For example, in Sweden, the Living History Forum (www.levandehistoria.se) is a public authority that produces exhibitions and teaching materials around topics of tolerance, democracy and human rights, with the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity as the starting point. Beyond such specific projects, it is crucial, however, to promote values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage children to embrace differences. Values instilled during childhood are likely to have the strongest impact on responses as adults.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Protection of journalists and media freedom 2012, para. 80
- Paragraph text
- As stressed previously, including in the report to the General Assembly (A/66/290), there are four types of expression or information which States are required to prohibit under international law: child pornography; incitement to genocide; advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence and incitement to terrorism. Other types of information or expression, which States are not required to prohibit, but may be restricted in exceptional and limited circumstances primarily to protect the rights of others, are established under article 19, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, while protecting individuals from false and malicious accusations, protecting national security or countering terrorism are legitimate interests, the Special Rapporteur remains concerned that such pretexts are used by authorities to unduly control and censor the media and to evade transparency or to silence criticism of public policies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- Traditionally, the right to freedom of expression has not been associated with children, even though, as individuals, children benefit from all of the civil rights enunciated in the Covenant. Earlier international instruments dealing with children, such as the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child of 1924 and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (General Assembly resolution 1386 (XIV)), did not include any reference to this right, on the assumption that children were not able, because of their immaturity, to make meaningful choices. The Convention on the Rights of the Child marks a watershed in the protection of the rights and the inherent dignity of children. Unlike previous international legal instruments, the Convention promotes a dramatic shift in emphasis, from an approach based on the obligations of adults towards children (see the Declaration of the Rights of the Child) to one focusing on the child as a rights-holder.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 11
- Paragraph text
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first international legal instrument proclaiming the right of children to freedom of expression. The wording of article 13 closely follows that of article 19, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. According to some, there is little value in article 13 itself, since it was simply "lifted" from article 19 of the Covenant with little attempt to apply it to children. However, read in conjunction with the provisions set out in articles 12 and 17 of the Convention, which protect the right to be heard and the right to have access to information, article 13 provides a level of protection to the child's right to freedom of expression that is comparable, if not superior, to that afforded by article 19 of the Covenant.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 12
- Paragraph text
- There is no reference in article 13 to the child's evolving capacities, nor is a minimum age or a certain degree of maturity for the exercise of the right to freedom of expression fixed. In this sense, freedom of expression has been regarded as having a developmental aspect, since its aim is to enable children to develop their minds and themselves in society with others and grow into citizens participating in public life. Children's freedom of expression does not - and cannot - start when children become capable of expressing their views autonomously or become teenagers; they cannot be expected to develop as autonomous beings and participants in society at the magical age of 18 years without having had the opportunity beforehand.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 13
- Paragraph text
- Nevertheless, children are not adults, and the fact that they have evolving capacities cannot be avoided. This principle, enshrined in article 5 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, simply reflects the need to take children's "childness" into account, as well as the fact that children evolve and exercise their rights differently from adults. The role accorded to parents and others responsible for the child under article 5 of the Convention suggests that, in practice, children's enjoyment of their right to freedom of expression may not be as expansive as that of adult holders of similarly expressed rights under non-child-specific international human rights instruments. The exercise of the right to freedom of expression expands as children mature, whereas the appropriate direction and guidance provided by parents under article 5 diminishes correspondingly.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Although the wording of article 13 of the Convention generally follows that of article 19 of the Covenant, certain provisions are omitted. First, article 13 does not include the right to hold opinions without interference, provided in article 19, paragraph 1, of the Covenant. It may be reasoned, however, that this right is implied in article 13, paragraph 1, or covered either by article 12 or article 14 of the Convention. Secondly, article 13 does not include the first sentence of article 19, paragraph 3, of the Covenant: "The exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of this article carries with it special duties and responsibilities." The inclusion of this sentence, which was introduced in the Covenant because of the powerful influence of modern media of expression, was apparently not found necessary with regard to the child's freedom of expression.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- The family, in particular, is regarded as one of the most important pillars in realizing the rights of the child to freedom of expression. It is widely acknowledged that parents assume the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their child, and hold the child's best interests as a fundamental concern. The Committee encourages the implementation of a participatory family structure in which a child learns to freely express his or her views, and thus becomes equipped with the skills necessary to participate in society. The duty of family members includes the obligation to hear the child's views and take them seriously and to support children in the realization of their rights under the Convention (see CRC/C/43/3, paras. 999-1,002).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- Seeking and accessing information is essential for the child's development and represents an essential precondition for participating in social life. Therefore, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has construed this right as imposing a positive obligation on States to provide access to information held by public authorities. The Human Rights Committee has observed that, to give effect to this right, States should make every effort to ensure easy, prompt, effective and practical access to information of public interest, and enact the necessary procedures, whereby one may gain access to information, such as by means of freedom of information legislation (see CCPR/C/GC/34, para. 19).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- In article 13, paragraph 2, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child it is expressly stated that the exercise of the right to freedom of expression may be subject to certain restrictions, which are set out. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has not developed comprehensive jurisprudence on permissible limitations to this right. However, the analysis made by the Human Rights Committee on the interpretation and application of article 19, paragraph 3, of the Covenant applies, mutatis mutandis, to the child's right to freedom of expression (see CCPR/C/GC/34, para. 21).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 24
- Paragraph text
- Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child represents a unique provision in international human rights law. This is a right that only children have, not adults, since children do not have a general right expressly set out in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to express their views in all situations concerning them. That children are not always listened to justifies the inclusion in the Convention of a general right to be heard. The aim of article 12 is to address the legal and social status of children, who, on the one hand, lack the full autonomy of adults but, on the other, are subjects of rights (see CRC/C/GC/12, para. 1).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- In accordance with article 12, States parties are obliged to recognize that right in their legal system, to adopt appropriate mechanisms to facilitate the active involvement of children in all actions and decision-making processes affecting them and to fulfil the obligation to give due weight to those views once expressed. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has noted that, while appearing to listen to children is relatively unchallenging, giving due weight to their views requires real change. According to the Committee, listening to children should not be seen as an end in itself, but rather as a means by which States make their interactions with children and their actions on behalf of children ever more sensitive to the implementation of children's rights (see CRC/GC/2003/5).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The right to freedom of expression is often confused with the right to be heard set out in article 12. The Committee on the Rights of the Child considers that, while both articles are strongly linked, they articulate different rights and should not be confused. Article 12 relates to the right of expression of views specifically about matters which affect the child, and the right to be involved in actions and decisions that have an impact on the child's life. This provision imposes an obligation on States parties to adopt appropriate measures to facilitate the active involvement of children in all decisions and processes affecting them, and to fulfil the obligation to give due weight to those views, while freedom of expression requires no such engagement or response from States parties. The Committee considers, however, that the creation of an enabling environment for children to express their views freely also contributes to building children's capacities to exercise their right to freedom of expression (see CRC/C/GC/12, para. 81).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Article 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child deals with the right of the child to have access to information, and addresses the role of the State in encouraging the mass media to provide such information. The provision aims to ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, in particular those aimed at the promotion of his or her well-being and health. It also recognizes the important function performed by the mass media and lists a number of measures that States parties need to adopt to implement the child's rights under article 17. These include a positive right to seek and access information, notably through books, magazines, newspapers, television, radio programmes and libraries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- This right is closely related to the right to seek information set out in article 13 of the Convention, since its exercise aims to enable children to inform themselves and thus be able to participate in social life. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has noted that the fulfilment of this right also constitutes a prerequisite for the effective exercise of the right to be heard (art. 12). The Committee has clarified that children need access to information in formats appropriate to their age and capacities on all issues of concern to them, for example information relating to their rights, any proceedings affecting them, national legislation, regulations and policies, local services, and appeals and complaints procedures.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The effects of limits on children's right to freedom of expression spill out of the school gates into public life. Children, just as adults, may be subject to excessive violence or arbitrary detention for expressing political views. For example, the Committee on the Rights of the Child recently highlighted such violations to the Syrian Arab Republic in relation to the arrest and incommunicado detention of a group of children between 8 and 15 years of age accused of painting anti-government graffiti on a school wall in the southern town of Dara'a (see CRC/C/SYR/CO/3-4, para. 46). It also expressed its concern to Belarus about the detention of adolescents during demonstrations held in the context of presidential elections in December 2010 (see CRC/C/BLR/CO/3-4, para. 35).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- The imposition of prior censorship to protect children from harmful material provides an example of disproportionate restrictions that run counter to international human rights standards. For instance, in the case The Last Temptation of Christ (Olmedo Bustos et al) v. Chile, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the Government of Chile had violated article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights, on freedom of thought and expression, in banning Martin Scorsese's film The Last Temptation of Christ in order to protect the morals of children. The Court reasoned that children could easily be protected by adopting less restrictive measures than prior censorship, such as controlling their entrance to cinemas.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- In a more recent case on prior censorship (Print Media South Africa and Another v. Minister of Home Affairs and Another), the High Court of South Africa declared that an amendment to the South African Films and Publications Act (No. 65 of 1996) infringed the constitutional right to freedom of expression. The amendment required publishers, with some exceptions, to submit publications for prior approval to prevent the exposure of children to age-inappropriate material and to ban child pornography. The decision indicated concerns about a system of prior restraint and the vague and overly broad criteria for classifying publications.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- Increasingly, structures are available to children to participate in politics - from youth mayorships to children's parliaments. In Iceland, following the financial crisis, it was agreed that civilians would rewrite the Constitution in 2008. As part of this, the Young People's Constitution Project was established to ensure that the opinions of children and young people were also taken into account in the constitutional amendment process. In the Dominican Republic, municipal councils dealing with issues such as the provision of safe drinking water in schools are formed and elected by young people.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Youth
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- Campaigns initiated by children have generated important debates and brought benefits to society as a whole. Student unions often play a central role in articulating child-led advocacy initiatives: in 2011, for example, thousands of secondary school and university students in Chile protested against the exorbitant costs of education. The political impact of their mobilization continues to be felt in the ongoing debates on the Chilean education system. Similar student protests against the costs of education have occurred in multiple countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- The Internet has dramatically improved the ability of children and adults in all regions of the world to communicate quickly and cheaply. It is therefore an important vehicle for children to exercise their right to freedom of expression and can serve as a tool to help children claim their other rights, including the right to education, freedom of association and full participation in social, cultural and political life. It is also essential for the evolution of an open and democratic society, which requires the engagement of all citizens, including children. The potential risks associated with children accessing the Internet, however, also feature prominently in debates about its regulation, with protection policies tending to focus exclusively on the risks posed by the Internet and neglecting its potential to empower children. More worryingly, some States resort to disproportionate and ineffective measures, whether out of a genuine desire to protect children or as a front for censorship, such as broad and insensitive filtering and blocking systems that undermine online communication for all.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- The popular fear that the Internet is dangerous to all children is misleading and oversimplifies the reality that the Internet can be both harmful and beneficial in certain circumstances. Understanding children's vulnerability to online risks from a wider social and cultural perspective can give greater insight into the nature of these concerns and how they should be framed. Children's use of the Internet, their behaviour and vulnerabilities to risks are different at different ages and depend on the individual child. Protection measures must seek to recognize the evolving capacities of children rather than use absolute blocking or censorship measures that adversely affect children and adults alike.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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