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The right to freedom of opinion and expression exercised through the Internet 2011, para. 63
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur notes that several initiatives have been taken in an attempt to bridge the digital divide. At the international level, Target 8f of the Millennium Development Goals calls upon States, "in consultation with the private sector, [to] make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications." The necessity of achieving this target was reiterated in the 2003 Plan of Action adopted at the Geneva World Summit on the Information Society, which outlines specific goals and targets to "build an inclusive Information Society; to put the potential of knowledge and [information communication technologies] (ICTs) at the service of development; to promote the use of information and knowledge for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals." To implement this plan of action, in 2005, the International Telecommunication Union launched the "Connect the World" project. Another initiative to spread the availability of ICTs in developing countries is the "One Laptop Per Child" project that has been supported by the United Nations Development Programme. This project distributes affordable laptops that are specifically customized for the learning environment of children. Since this project was mentioned in the previous mandate holder's report in 2006, 2.4 million laptops have been distributed to children and teachers worldwide. In Uruguay, the project has reached 480,000 children, amounting to almost all children enrolled in primary school. States in Africa lag behind, but in Rwanda, over 56,000 laptops have been distributed, with plans for the figure to reach 100,000 by June 2011.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
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The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 29
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- Another interesting aspect of article 12 relevant to freedom of expression is the emphasis on participation. Although the term is not found in the article, the Committee on the Rights of the Child has stated on various occasions that children's participation in society enables them to be heard, to be informed about public affairs and to play a role in the life of their country (see, for example, CRC/C/SR.379, para. 55). Participation should be encouraged within the family, at school and in society at large; it should concern political, social, economic and cultural life; and it should happen through existing institutions and through the creation of children-specific bodies. The rationale behind encouraging the children's participatory rights is to facilitate their development, given that children cannot be expected to mature into full members of society if they lack the experience of participating in school and community life (see, for example, CRC/C/SR.277, para. 50).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 39
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- Judicial systems often play a significant role in altering engrained authoritarian practices. There are as yet few examples of court decisions affirming children's right to freedom of expression and access to information. However, there is a growing number of examples within educational settings, especially in the United States. For example, a student at a Florida high school was banned from wearing any symbol of support for gay rights at school because the principal believed that any symbol featuring rainbows would make students picture gay people having sex. In a decision quoting the Tinker case mentioned above, a federal judge ruled in May 2008 that the school had violated the students' rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- LGBTQI+
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 57
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- 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
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 83
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- Children may not have the same maturity as adults, but childhood is an evolving process during which maturity is gained gradually. The ability to develop opinions, as well as to express them clearly, stems from a learning process that begins at the earliest stages of our lives and that needs appropriate respect and encouragement to develop completely. If neglecting the duty to protect children from harm brings serious risks, so too does denying them space to develop their minds, critical thinking and opinions. Depriving children of information on certain matters and prohibiting their participation in public debate can only intensify their isolation and political alienation. Ensuring that children are able to exercise their right to be heard is not only an obligation: it is crucial to enhancing the effectiveness of protective measures.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Hate speech and incitement to hatred 2012, para. 59
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- Human rights education should not, however, be limited to schoolchildren. Strong information campaigns by public authorities or others can raise awareness about hate speech and the harm that it causes and about the continued importance of a culture of tolerance and peace and its associated ethics. In some instances, responses to offences under article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights may include such campaigns to spread messages of tolerance and respect for others' rights.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 42
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- Restrictions on the content of school curricula may also affect children's access to diverse sources of information. In this regard, the banning of books and teaching materials containing ideas that run counter to those supported by the school administration is another concern. In the 1982 case Board of Education v. Pico, for example, a court in the United States ruled that books could not be removed from school libraries for ideological reasons.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- States should take proactive measures to promote children's access to the Internet in all settings. The Internet's central role in the promotion of all the rights of children, in particular the right to freedom of expression, to participation in public life and to education, should be taken into consideration within education systems. Efforts should be made to reframe the Internet as a positive resource - with benefits for both the individual child and society as a whole - as opposed to a negative or otherwise dangerous medium. For example, the Internet is an excellent tool for accessing books for children from all social origins.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
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. 46
- Paragraph text
- In addition, the Special Rapporteur believes that Internet literacy should be included in school curricula, as well as in learning modules outside of schools. One example is the ThutoNet programme in Botswana, which will not only provide all schools in Botswana with computers and access to the Internet, but will train teachers on how to use ICT as a classroom tool, including formal ICT education as part of the school curriculum. This programme aims to assist the country's children for success in the digital age, and will also involve the development of locally produced educational software to assist with e-learning and to ensure local content and subject relevance.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 37
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- In many countries, however, children are denied the right to express themselves freely because of the idea that education serves as a tool for adults to mould children into predetermined shapes. This is evident in the prevalence of authoritarian school environments and teaching methods that, for instance, often preclude students from expressing their views on how their school is run (see CRC/C/KOR/CO/3-4, para. 40). In some places, rote learning continues to be the norm rather than participatory methods of teaching that encourage children to develop and express their views (CRC/C/15/Add.148, para. 39).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 35
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- The Committee on the Rights of the Child has commented to numerous States that traditional attitudes towards children in all spheres, including the home, school and society in general, continue to delay the acceptance of children's right to express themselves freely (see, for example, CRC/C/SGP/CO/2-3, para. 33, and CRC/C/ECU/CO/4, para. 40). Obstacles to the freedom of expression of children are particularly prevalent in settings in which the power of adults over children remains unquestioned. Educational settings highlight with particular clarity some of the tensions between the recognition of children as human beings with rights, views and feelings of their own on the one hand, and paternalistic perceptions of them on the other.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
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. 59
- Paragraph text
- The United Nations Girls' Education Initiative, evolving from the Millennium Villages project, is an example of "e-education" initiatives which also help promote girls' education. This initiative has launched a global campaign to promote universal and equality Internet access in secondary education in developing countries, with an emphasis on girls' education. ICT skills will be used to enhance the quality of education and to connect schoolchildren worldwide.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2011
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
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 91
- Paragraph text
- States should promote programming with educational and recreational content for children of different ages and with content produced by children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- In paragraph 8 of its general comment No. 1, on the aims of education, the Committee on the Rights of the Child stated: Children do not lose their human rights by virtue of passing through the school gates. Thus, for example, education must be provided in a way that respects the inherent dignity of the child and enables the child to express his or her views freely in accordance with article 12 (1) and to participate in school life.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Children's access to cultural activities may also be censored without justification. In the 1993 case Dunduzu Chisiza Jr. v. Minister Kate Kainja, a judge in Malawi upheld the complaint of an actor who had challenged a ban on all plays and other performances by independent groups in public schools as violating freedom of expression. There are also reports of some schools banning music lessons for religious reasons.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- In addition to banning information outright, some school curricula present biased accounts of history or prejudiced views of certain groups, such as girls, sexual or ethnic minorities or children with disabilities, which can negatively affect children's freedom to form their own views and instead perpetuate discrimination - a situation raised by various United Nations treaty bodies in their recommendations to States.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 20
- Paragraph text
- The right to receive information is closely linked to the provisions of article 28, according to which States parties recognize the right of the child to education, and article 29, in which it is emphasized that education of the child shall, inter alia, aim at the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Groups in need of attention, limitations to the right to freedom of expression, and protection of journalists 2010, para. 51
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- The evolution of one's own thinking, the ability to express one's thoughts clearly and the capacity to use alternative means of expression, such as art and electronic and audiovisual means of communication, begin to be developed in childhood. Therefore, child protection programmes should make a special effort to focus on respect for children's freedom of opinion and expression. Early stimulation and learning programmes should also be promoted, as should full access to schooling and participatory educational programmes that encourage critical thinking, the capacity for expression and a culture of peace.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 66
- Paragraph text
- The spread of the Internet has allowed millions of people to learn, publish and communicate on an unprecedented scale. The Internet can provide great educational benefits through its potential for interactive use in schools and the wide array of information it makes available. Plan Ceibal in Uruguay, for example, is a remarkable example of promoting Internet access through the education system. More specifically, as suggested by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Internet plays an important role in education owing to its ability to provide education for children who cannot travel to schools, through mobile school programmes that rely on the Internet (see CRC/C/GC/11, para. 61).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- Empowering children must include training parents and professionals who work with children to support them in using the Internet, keeping in mind their evolving capacities. A positive way to introduce online safety and information beneficial to the development of children is through school curricula, including by involving children in the development of school policies on information and communications technologies. Non-governmental organizations and public communications such as radio messages can provide similar support to children who are not in school. Some examples of child safety initiatives are SaferNet Brasil, the Slovak Safer Internet Centre and Manos por la Niñez y Adolescencia (Hands for Children and Adolescents) in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Lastly, children have the right to impart information to others. As is the case for the right to receive information, there are few references to this right in the jurisprudence of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Committee has stated, for example, that children have the right to contribute to children's magazines, television and other media, to engage in political activities both within and outside the school and to set up Internet chat rooms.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- States should encourage the use of diverse forms of communication by children in schools, including oral, written and all forms of art. Schools curricula should impart knowledge on social communications, media and journalism.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- In recommendations arising from its day of general discussion on "The child and the media", the Committee affirmed the importance of budgetary support from the State to ensure the production and dissemination of books, magazines, music, theatre and other forms of expression for children, and of assistance through international cooperation (CRC/C/15/Add.65, para. 256). Investments in community and public broadcasting often play a central role in the promotion of access to information from a diversity of sources and in the inclusion of children's voices in the media. In Argentina, for example, the Law on Communication and Audiovisual Services establishes the obligation for public broadcasting entities to dedicate programming time to children and other sectors of the population not contemplated by commercial broadcasting. The public entity tasked with overseeing the implementation of the law promotes public hearings, including with children, to discuss communication and audiovisual services. It has also recently supported the promotion of radio activities led by students within their own schools. Moreover, the Ministry of Education of Argentina has supported the establishment of a channel aimed at promoting child-sensitive educational programming, including through the active participation of children in the production of the content.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 88
- Paragraph text
- States should pay particular attention to the removal of authoritarian norms and practices within education systems given the centrality of schools in the promotion of children's agency.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Means of adoption
- N.A.
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
25 shown of 25 entities