Qatar stresses the importance of the role of the family in children’s enjoyment of digital benefits and in protecting them from its harms

The State of Qatar stressed the important role played by the family, as the basic unit on which society is based, in supporting the promotion and protection of the rights of its members, and as the natural environment for the growth and well-being of children, and stressed the importance of the family’s role in children’s enjoyment of digital benefits and their protection from its harms. This came in the intervention of HE Dr. Hind bint Abdulrahman Al-Muftah, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva, during a side event on: "Family and child rights protection in the digital environment"Organized by the delegation of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in Geneva, and the permanent missions of the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Republic of Bangladesh, Belarus and the People’s Republic of China, in cooperation with the Doha International Family Institute, on the sidelines of the session Fifty-second Human Rights Council in Geneva. In her opening speech to the event, Her Excellency the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva referred to the affirmation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights instruments on the pivotal and vital role of the family, and their call to society and the state to protect it, stressing the importance of the role of the family in children’s enjoyment of benefits. digital and protect them from its harm, considering that "Today, the digital environment has become a reality in our lives, regardless of age, place of living, or the language we speak". Her Excellency noted that today we have a generation of children who can easily navigate the digital world before they can even speak or walk properly, as one out of every three Internet users is under 18 years old, and that children now depend on digital tools and services for learning. entertainment and communication with the world around them. On the other hand, Her Excellency pointed out that the Internet increases children’s exposure to risks and harms, which may affect their lives in the short and long term. "Thus, it cannot be claimed that the digital environment is completely beneficial or completely harmful". She added that finding the necessary balance between the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet requires adopting a multidimensional approach that places the best interest of the child at the forefront of priorities in terms of policies and strategies related to information and communication technology, and that governments, technology companies and families must all play effective roles in order to ensure a safe and enabling digital environment. For children. Her Excellency Dr. Hind bint Abdulrahman Al-Muftah also reminded everyone, on the occasion of this year’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action, of the need to reaffirm the principles enshrined in these landmark documents, particularly those related to family protection And preserving the family environment so that it remains a living instrument that meets the needs of our time today. For her part, Dr. Sharifa Noman Al-Emadi, Executive Director of the Doha International Family Institute, referred to the issue of digital addiction, stressing that adolescents should not be blamed alone because their parents, who are role models, also overuse their mobile phones instead of spending time with their children. Dr. Al-Emadi urged research centers and NGOs to work closely with relevant stakeholders and society at large to reshape the perception of parents as role models, empowering them with tools and skills to better engage with their children, benefit from the positives of digital life, and avoid its potential harms.

She explained that this comes by providing educational programs for parents based on evidence and making them mandatory, if possible, to better support new generations, and she also indicated the importance of working together with governments and digital technology companies to provide safe platforms for children and applications suitable for parents, and tools to monitor their use of devices. digital. The interventions focused on the important role of the family in providing a natural environment for the growth of its members, which requires its support in order for it to be able to carry out its responsibilities within society to the fullest. The speakers emphasized the advantages of digital technology in various fields, especially education, but they expressed their fear of the risks that sometimes result from it, especially for children, which requires raising their awareness of these risks and the need for continuous communication between children and their parents in anticipation of any possible harm, which may It has long-term health and psychological consequences, and it can undermine the social lives of the victims. It was noted that there is a shared responsibility among all, given that the protection of the child and the family is ultimately the protection of society, and they also stressed the importance of the state’s role in providing a safe and conducive digital environment for children.