It is incumbent upon the European Parliament to ensure that its legislative and non-legislative work is informed to respect, promote and safeguard the rights of the child and to advance children’s lives both within the EU and in its relations with the outside world.

Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union establishes the objective for the EU to promote protection of the rights of the child. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the protection of the rights of the child by the EU institutions and by EU countries when they implement EU law.

Children’s rights (2019 - 2020)

Parliament will debate on Tuesday 25 November, and vote on Wednesday, a report calling for accelerating the enforcement of the EU&nbsp;Digital Services Act&nbsp;and the&nbsp;AI Act, while closing legal gaps to ensure online services are safe for minors to use. Sounding the alarm over the mental health risks and rising social media addiction among children and adolescents, MEPs want to ban the most harmful addictive practices for minors and for the EU to take action against persuasive technologies and practices such as targeted ads, influencer marketing, addictive design, loot boxes and dark patterns. The text proposes a common EU-wide minimum age threshold of 16 years for accessing social media platforms and the development of privacy preserving age assurance systems.

The rights of the child are part of human rights: rights that the EU and its Member States must respect, protect and fulfil. The Treaty on European Union establishes the objective for the EU to promote protection of the rights of the child. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU guarantees the protection of the rights of the child by the EU institutions and by EU countries when they implement EU law. Over the years the European Parliament has been instrumental in pushing children's rights to the core of European policies, particularly through its Intergroup on Children's Rights.

Children’s rights

EP Plenary Session - Child sexual abuse online: protect children, not perpetrators

EP Plenary Session - International Women's Day Celebration

EP Plenary session - Strengthening children’s rights in the EU - 35th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

EP Plenary session - International Day on the Rights of the Child

LIBE - Vote on Laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse

DG EXPO Poldep and DROI workshop ' Forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children: responses and accountability measures '

EP Plenary session - The rights of children in Rainbow Families and same sex parents in particular in Italy

EP Plenary session - EU Protection of children and young people fleeing the war against Ukraine

Point of order and closing of the ceremony of the International Women’s Day Celebration.

International Women’s Day: Point of order and closing of the ceremony

To mark International Women’s Day, political group speakers take the floor after the testimony of Jackie Fox, who campaigns in memory of her daughter, a victim of cyberbullying. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery

International Women’s Day Celebration: one round of political group speakers

To mark International Women’s Day, MEPs hear the testimony of Jackie Fox, who campaigns in memory of her daughter, a victim of cyberbullying. Since her daughter’s death by suicide in 2018 following online bullying, Jackie Fox has campaigned tirelessly for stronger protection for victims. She advocated for the introduction of “Coco’s Law” in Ireland. This legislation makes it an offence to share or threaten to share intimate images on digital devices without consent. It also criminalises severe online bullying. This transcription if the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

International Women’s Day: speech by Jackie FOX, Campaigner for Coco's Law

Broadcasting a video clip in the hemicycle on the occasion of the International Women’s Day Celebration. This transcription if the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

International Women’s Day: Video-Clip

Jackie FOX and Roberta METSOLA enter the Chamber, then EP President Roberta METSOLA delivers a speech on the occasion of the International Women’s Day Celebration. This transcription if the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery

International Women’s Day: arrival in the hemicycle and introduction by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

To mark International Women’s Day (8/3/2026), MEPs hear the testimony of Jackie FOX, who campaigns in memory of her daughter, a victim of cyberbullying. This news item presents extracts from the celebration in the Chamber, extracts from the address to the hemicycle and from the meeting between President Roberta METSOLA and Jackie FOX.

International Women's Day 2026: extracts from the meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Jackie FOX, "Coco's Law" campaigner and extracts from the address to the plenary

MEPs debate on updating EU-wide legislation on child sexual abuse crimes to account for technological advances and to improve victim support. The legislation would revise the definitions of crimes to take account of new technological realities, raise certain maximum punishments, and provide better support to victims. The draft law criminalises child sexual abuse instruction manuals and artificially-created deepfake imagery, among other things. Closing statements

Combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material : Closing statements by Magnus BRUNNER, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration and Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), Rapporteur

MEPs debate on updating EU-wide legislation on child sexual abuse crimes to account for technological advances and to improve victim support. The legislation would revise the definitions of crimes to take account of new technological realities, raise certain maximum punishments, and provide better support to victims. The draft law criminalises child sexual abuse instruction manuals and artificially-created deepfake imagery, among other things. MEPs debate

rights of the child (T)

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