On October 9, as part of the 2nd Global Digital Forum, a joint statement on the establishment of the Global Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment was signed, and the Alliance held its inaugural meeting. Representatives of government agencies from Abkhazia, Nicaragua, Russia, South Ossetia, and the Central African Republic, as well as non-governmental organizations from across Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, took part in the meeting. Tanzania and Bangladesh also endorsed the initiative.
The Global Alliance will bring together representatives of governments, the private sector, academia, non-profit organizations, and international entities to collaborate on fostering a safe digital environment for children amid the rapid pace of technological development. Its mission is to establish an ongoing international exchange of best practices and effective solutions. Cooperation will focus on researching digital risks, including those associated with artificial intelligence, and on identifying and disseminating effective approaches to mitigating them.
The Alliance’s practical work will include research on digital threats and the practices employed in different countries, an assessment of the effectiveness of existing measures, and the promotion of digital literacy among children, parents, and educators. To support ongoing interaction among participants, there are plans to create a centralized digital platform that will house expert materials, research, and contact information for Alliance members.
“For us, it is especially significant that the Russian Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment spearheaded the creation of this global association. Over the past five years, we have built up substantial expertise and developed our own projects and solutions, which we are now ready to share with our international partners. Establishing a global alliance is an opportunity not just to showcase Russian experience on the international stage, but also to take part in shaping a shared agenda for children’s digital safety. We want Russian initiatives to become part of global best practices, and for the best foreign solutions to be implemented in our country,” noted Elizaveta Belyakova, Chair of the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment.
“Child safety in the digital space has become increasingly global in nature. New technologies, including artificial intelligence, create opportunities for development and learning, but at the same time pose shared challenges for governments worldwide. That is why it is especially important to foster an ongoing dialogue between countries, exchange best practices, and jointly develop effective mechanisms for protecting children. Establishing a global alliance will make this kind of interaction systematic, unite the efforts of government, the private sector, and the expert community, and allow us to more rapidly implement solutions that have already proven effective,” emphasized Bella Cherkesova, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.
At the inaugural meeting, participants discussed key challenges related to protecting children in the digital space and identified priority areas for joint work, including the exchange of national best practices and the advancement of international cooperation in this area.
The Global Alliance is an independent, voluntary international association and is open to participation by government agencies, the private sector, academia, non-governmental organizations, and relevant international entities.
