ACERWC to Hold 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 to examine the evolving relationship between digital technologies, violence against children and harmful practices.
The rapid expansion of digital technologies across Africa has transformed how children learn, communicate, participate and access information. At the same time, the digital environment has created and amplified 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 DGD will also examine how digital technologies are being used to facilitate, organise, normalise or conceal harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). The discussion will consider both the risks associated with emerging technologies and their potential to support prevention, awareness-raising, community engagement, survivor support and digital reporting mechanisms.
Building on the Committee’s previous engagement
The DGD builds on the ACERWC’s previous work on children’s rights in the digital environment and violence against children. It will focus on the intersection between digital technologies, violence against children and harmful practices—an area that requires dedicated and integrated attention.
Among the emerging issues to be examined are 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 and conceal harmful practices.
The discussion will also take place at an important moment as the African Union advances the Common African Position on Ending Violence Against Children (CAP-EVAC) in preparation for the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children.
Six sessions to explore the digital frontier
The Day of General Discussion will feature a series of sessions addressing key dimensions of violence against children and harmful practices in the digital environment.
The discussions will explore:
- The changing landscape of violence against children in the digital sphere, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse, grooming, sextortion, cyberbullying, AI-generated image-based abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
- Digital dimensions of harmful practices, including how child marriage and FGM may be facilitated, organised, normalised or concealed through digital technologies.
- Regulating the digital space for children, including debates on social media restrictions, artificial intelligence and the responsibilities of States and technology companies.
- Accountability and enforcement, examining the roles of law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, courts, national human rights institutions, regulatory bodies and technology companies.
- Continental commitments and the way forward, including discussions around the Common African Position on Ending Violence Against Children and priorities for the upcoming Second Global Ministerial Conference.
- An outcome statement, which will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and adopt key recommendations arising from the DGD.
Strengthening action to protect children
The DGD aims to identify gaps in existing legal and policy frameworks, examine emerging risks and identify promising practices for preventing and responding to technology-facilitated violence against children and harmful practices.
It will also explore the responsibilities of technology companies, digital platforms and internet service providers, while considering the roles of Member States, children, families, communities, civil society organisations and national human rights institutions in creating a safer and more inclusive digital environment for children.
The discussions are expected to contribute to an Outcome Statement containing key recommendations for stakeholders and a draft common position relevant to preparations for the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children. The outcome will be shared with AU Member States and key stakeholders, with findings and recommendations reported to AU Policy Organs to support stronger political commitment across the continent.
The Day of General Discussion will be held on 14 October 2026, from 09:00 to 17:00 South African Standard Time, with simultaneous interpretation in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic.
The ACERWC will be joined by child representatives, Member State representatives, African Union institutions, national human rights institutions, technology and business-sector representatives, civil society organisations and relevant African Union and United Nations special mechanisms.
📅 14 October 2026
📍 Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho
🕘 09:00–17:00 SAST
🔗 Information & Programme:
Day of General Discussion 2026