Digital space and human rights | OHCHR About Digital technologies provide new means to advocate for, defend, and exercise human rights and affect all types of rights - civil and political, as well as cultural, economic and social rights They shape how people access and share information, form their opinions, debate, and mobilise – they have deeply transformed the “public square”
Call for Inputs to the 2026 Thematic Report on Gender Equality, the . . . BackgroundIn June of 2026, the Working Group will present its next report to the Human Rights Council on the digital space and artificial intelligence’s existing and potential impact on substantive gender equality AI is creating new growth opportunities, driving innovation, and reshaping modes of expression, and it holds the potential to advance human rights and promote equality if
Children want to shape their rights in the digital world On World Children's Day, a new child-centred initiative invites young people from around the world to share their experiences and solutions for a safer, more rights-respecting digital space
Childrens rights in the digital environment | OHCHR While digital tools can empower children, their rights in these spaces are often overlooked, ignored, or misunderstood—even though children’s rights apply in the digital world just as they do offline The full potential of digital technologies for children can only be realized if risks of harm are identified, prevented, and mitigated
OHCHR and protecting and expanding civic space | OHCHR An open and pluralistic civic space that guarantees freedom of expression and opinion as well as freedom of assembly and association, is a prerequisite for making development and peace sustainable
UN Human Rights Office The UN Human Rights Office and the mechanisms we support work on a wide range of human rights topics Learn more about each topic, see who's involved, and find the latest news, reports, events and more
UN experts: Safeguard human freedoms from systematic digital . . . UN experts: Safeguard human freedoms from systematic digital interference, surveillance and chilling effects on civic space GENEVA – In a joint statement, UN experts* raised serious concerns over the growing global spread of intrusive surveillance technologies, and their normalisation in everyday life, and called for the urgent strengthening
From hashtag to action: How young activists use tech for good This year's Young Activists Summit celebrates laureates who use technology to amplify voices, mobilize communities, and create real-world impact The Summit provides a platform for the next generation of change-makers in the digital space
Mapping and addressing threats to civic space online | OHCHR As more people make digital technologies part of their daily lives, so do they expose themselves to risks in exercising their fundamental rights online UN Human Rights has worked to map out these threats, help build defenders’ capacity to protect themselves, and advocate to States and tech companies to respect users’ rights and freedoms online
Digital, media and information literacy are key to freedoms Digital and online spaces have also allowed individuals unprecedented access to information sources and ideas This underscores the importance of giving individuals the tools to develop abilities for critical engagement with various forms of media, and also to evaluate the reliability and credibility of sources