A/HRC/RES/57/6
international cooperation and education, while striving to ensure that persons with disabilities
are able to connect to and access the Internet in a safe, secure and meaningful way so as to
enable their full cultural, economic, political and social participation in an inclusive
information society,
Acknowledging that persons with disabilities are uniquely placed to offer effective
solutions and responses to cyberbullying, and underlining that their participation and
contributions, including their views and recommendations, therefore need to be at the centre
of efforts to prevent and address cyberbullying and that their full, equal and meaningful
participation is critical to a clear understanding of cyberbullying and its impact in order to
address it effectively,
Recognizing the importance of prevention in ensuring safe online and information and
communications technology environments for persons with disabilities, while protecting
them against arbitrary or unlawful interference with their rights to privacy and freedom to
seek, receive or impart information, their right to education, their right to take part in the
conduct of public affairs and the freedoms of expression and of association, and recognizing
also that prevention measures and approaches should include information and education on
how to avoid, recognize and report instances of cyberbullying, taking into account the
nuances of online communication, in forms that are responsive to the needs of persons with
disabilities,
Recognizing also that preventive measures should involve key actors, including
Governments, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, families, civil
society, industry, especially technology enterprises and those related to social media, schools,
academia, the competent authorities, including national independent monitoring
mechanisms, relevant actors, community-based organizations and the general public,
Recognizing further that persons with disabilities exercising their right to education,
including through the use of digital technologies, should not have their safety affected and
should be protected from any violation or abuse of their right to privacy, and in this regard
emphasizing that efforts to expand connectivity and digital learning and bridge the digital
divides should give special regard to inclusion, the promotion of disability awareness and the
use of appropriate augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication
and educational techniques and materials to support persons with disabilities, as well as the
facilitation of peer support and mentoring and the provision of reasonable accommodation,
1.
Affirms that human rights and fundamental freedoms must be protected, online
and offline, with special regard for the rights of persons with disabilities;
2.
Acknowledges the importance of ensuring appropriate safeguards and human
oversight in the application of new and emerging digital technologies and of respecting and
promoting human rights, including those of persons with disabilities, to guide relevant
regulatory frameworks and legislation, and safeguards on the conception, design, use,
development, further deployment and impact assessments of new and emerging digital
technologies, while ensuring the meaningful participation of all stakeholders, including
States, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations and families, the
private sector, in particular digital technology companies, academia and civil society
organizations;
3.
Welcomes the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights on countering cyberbullying against persons with disabilities, 1 and invites
all stakeholders to consider the findings and recommendations contained in the report and
their implementation;
4.
Calls upon States:
(a)
To continue to take all appropriate measures to prevent and protect persons
with disabilities from all forms of discrimination, exploitation, violence and abuse, including
in digital contexts, in particular cyberbullying, by promptly responding to it in a manner that
complies with international human rights law, including the rights to freedom of opinion and
1
4
A/HRC/56/31.