A/HRC/28/55 Capitalizing on States’ accountability to secure children’s online protection 108. Governments have a leading responsibility in the realization of children’s rights. That includes violence prevention and children’s online protection through measures such as those addressed in previous sections. 109. Capitalizing on implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Study on Violence Against Children, the children’s digital agenda should be integrated as a core component of any national comprehensive policy framework to prevent and address all forms of violence against children. The agenda needs to be well-coordinated, adequately funded and include clear time-bound goals and a transparent process to monitor and evaluate progress. The agenda should be promoted with the involvement of all stakeholders, and informed by the views and experiences of children and young people online, including those exposed to abuse. In a number of countries, such as Costa Rica (see box below), child safety online has become a priority in the policy agenda. In Costa Rica, where as many as 52 per cent of children and young people under 18 were found to own a computer in 2011, decisive measures have been taken to enhance children’s online protection. Costa Rican legislation criminalizes the production, possession, and distribution of child pornography, whether or not a computer is involved. In December 2010, a National Commission on Online Safety was established with a multidisciplinary, intersectoral structure and including representatives of both public and private institutions. Its role is to devise policies on the safe use of the Internet and ICTs and to develop the National Plan of Online Safety. Specifically, the Commission: (i) • Raises awareness amongst children, teenagers and their families about the appropriate use of the Internet and digital technologies; • Proposes measures to prevent access to inappropriate content by children; • Promotes safe technologies; • Develops strategies to avoid inappropriate use of the Internet or digital technologies in public and private institutions; • Proposes legislation to strengthen the rights of individuals, communities and institutions regarding access to the Internet. access to the Internet and digital National legislation 110. National legislation is a core component of the process. Legislation is indispensable to enable children’s access to the Internet and ICTs and the enjoyment of digital literacy without discrimination. It needs to include an explicit prohibition of all manifestations of violence associated with the use of ICTs, secure children’s online protection and provide for effective remedies, recovery and reintegration to address online harm, abuse or exploitation. Moreover, it needs to establish child-sensitive counselling, reporting and complaint mechanisms and procedures to address incidents of online abuse, and to fight impunity. 18