5Rights awarded inaugural Privacy and Human Rights Award
5Rights’ outstanding leadership at the intersection of privacy, data protection and children’s rights has been recognised with the inaugural Global Privacy Assembly Privacy and Human Rights Award. The award was conferred today at RightsCon in Taipei, the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age.
Bestowed by a distinguished panel, including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, South Africa’s Information Regulator, and Access Now, this award provides a resounding endorsement of 5Rights’ impact in the fight to embed children’s rights, privacy and safety in the digital environment.
For more than a decade, 5Rights has been working alongside children, experts and policymakers around the world to ensure children’s rights are upheld by design and default in the digital environment. From shaping pioneering global and regional frameworks such as the UNCRC General comment No. 25 and the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy, to groundbreaking legislation including the Age Appropriate Design Code in the UK and California, 5Rights has redefined the global agenda for children’s rights in the digital environment.
Our work extends beyond legislation, driving industry standards like the IEEE 2089.1 Standard for Online Age Verification and creating award-winning tools such as the Child Online Safety Toolkit. These achievements have been fuelled by 5Rights’ collaborative approach with policymakers, regulators, partners, and, most crucially, children themselves.
Yet, our work is far from over. Marie-Ève Nadeau, Head of International Affairs, accepted the award on behalf of the organisation, stating that:
“As AI comes of age, we must step up to ensure we do not allow it to supercharge the violation of children’s rights. We must embed robust standards for privacy and safety at the heart of digital design, and we must ensure companies are held accountable”.
To meet these emerging challenges, 5Rights is pioneering new frameworks and tools, including the forthcoming AI Code for Children and a framework on Education Technology. These initiatives build on our track record of delivering practical, enforceable solutions that prioritise children’s rights in the online environment across the globe.
The Global Privacy Assembly’s recognition underscores the urgent need for continued action to protect and champion children’s rights online. As 5Rights looks ahead, we remain committed to supporting policymakers, regulators and tech companies to build a safer, more rights-respecting digital environment for every child – no matter where they live.