ACERWC to Convene Day of General Discussion on Violence Against Children and Harmful Practices in the Digital Age
Maseru, Lesotho | 14 October 2026
The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) will convene a Day of General Discussion (DGD) on “Violence Against Children and Harmful Practices: Navigating the Digital Frontier” on 14 October 2026 in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho.
The DGD will take place as part of the Committee’s 48th Ordinary Session, being held from 13 to 20 October 2026, and will bring together children, representatives of African Union Member States, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, technology companies, child-rights experts and other stakeholders.
Addressing emerging risks in the digital environment
The rapid expansion of digital technologies across Africa has transformed the ways children learn, communicate, participate and access information. At the same time, the digital environment has created new pathways for violence and exploitation, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse, online grooming, sextortion, cyberbullying, image-based abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
The digital environment can also facilitate existing harmful practices. Child marriage and female genital mutilation, for example, may be organised, promoted or concealed through digital technologies, including encrypted communications, online matchmaking, digital financial transactions and disinformation.
The DGD will examine these evolving challenges while also considering how technology can contribute to prevention and protection through awareness-raising, community engagement, survivor support, digital reporting mechanisms and other interventions.
The discussion builds on the Committee’s previous engagement on children’s rights in the digital environment, including its 2019 Day of General Discussion on Online Child Sexual Exploitation, 2022 Day of General Discussion on Children’s Rights in the Digital World, and the 2023 Day of the African Child on The Rights of the Child in the Digital Environment. The 2026 DGD will focus specifically on the intersection between the digital environment, violence against children and harmful practices.
Exploring new and emerging forms of harm
The DGD comes at a time when emerging technologies are creating new challenges for child protection. Discussions will include the use of artificial intelligence to generate child sexual abuse material, the role of social media algorithms in amplifying harmful content, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and the use of digital tools to organise or conceal harmful practices.
Participants will also consider the responsibilities of States, technology companies, digital platforms and other actors in creating a safer digital environment while protecting children’s rights to participation, privacy, education and development.
The discussions are grounded in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, including provisions concerning non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, survival and development, privacy, education, protection from abuse and exploitation, harmful social and cultural practices, sexual exploitation, sale, trafficking and abduction. The DGD will also take into account relevant African Union and international frameworks concerning children’s rights and the digital environment.
Five thematic sessions and an outcome statement
The Day of General Discussion will feature a series of thematic sessions addressing different dimensions of violence against children and harmful practices in the digital environment.
The sessions will explore:
- The changing landscape of violence against children in the digital sphere, including online sexual exploitation and abuse, grooming, sextortion, cyberbullying, AI-generated image-based abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
- Digital dimensions of harmful practices, examining how practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation can be facilitated, organised, normalised or concealed through digital technologies.
- Regulating the digital space for children, including discussions on social media restrictions, artificial intelligence and the responsibilities of States and technology companies.
- Accountability and enforcement, focusing on the roles of law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, national human rights institutions, regulatory bodies and technology companies.
- Continental commitments and the way forward, including consideration of the Common African Position on Ending Violence Against Children and key issues for the upcoming Second Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children.
A final session will consider the draft Outcome Statement, containing key recommendations for stakeholders on strengthening the protection of children from violence and harmful practices in the digital environment.
Amplifying children's voices and stakeholder participation
Children will be among the participants in the DGD, alongside ACERWC experts and special rapporteurs, representatives of AU Member States, the African Union Commission, national human rights institutions, civil society organisations, the business and technology sectors, and relevant African Union and United Nations mechanisms.
The participation of children is central to discussions on how the digital environment affects their rights, safety and meaningful participation. The DGD will provide an opportunity for diverse stakeholders to share experiences, identify good practices and contribute to recommendations for preventing and responding to technology-facilitated violence and harmful practices.
The event is supported by partners including the Spotlight Initiative (SIARP 2.0), African Child Policy Forum, Equality Now, Save the Children, and Brave Movement/Together for Girls.
Towards stronger continental action
The DGD takes place at a strategic moment as Africa advances the Common African Position on Ending Violence Against Children (CAP-EVAC) in preparation for the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children.
Following the discussions, the ACERWC will consider adopting an Outcome Statement reflecting the key recommendations emerging from the DGD. The Outcome Statement will be shared with AU Member States and relevant stakeholders, with the Committee’s findings and recommendations reported to the AU Policy Organs to support stronger political commitment to preventing and responding to violence against children and harmful practices across the continent.
Event Details
Event: Day of General Discussion 2026
Theme: Violence Against Children and Harmful Practices: Navigating the Digital Frontier
Date: 14 October 2026
Time: 09:00–17:00 South African Standard Time
Venue: Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho
Languages: English, French, Portuguese and Arabic, with simultaneous interpretation
The Day of General Discussion will be held during the 48th Ordinary Session of the ACERWC, taking place from 13–20 October 2026.
For more information:
ACERWC Secretariat — [email protected]