The Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre hosts workshop at #CATS2016 Conference

The Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre (SIC), represented by Evelina Lafchiyska – the coordinator of the helpline, and Anna Bratoeva – youth representative, delivered a workshop at the leading European child participation conference CATS – Children as Actors for Transforming Society (#‎CATS16), in Caux, Switzerland from 26 July to 1 August 2016.

Date 2016-08-24 Author Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre
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The workshop was titled ‘Digital rights of young people – from local empowerment to global recognition' and its aim was to enable participants to reflect on the online challenges faced by young people from the children's rights perspective, and also to consider how the internet impedes and facilitates the realisation of children's rights across the globe. The main focus of the #‎CATS16 conference was the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN), so the workshop also addressed how the internet and digital technologies impact the realisation of goals such as ending poverty, promoting wellbeing, promoting life learning opportunities for all, reducing inequality, and achieving peace and justice.
 
Within four sessions, the workshop addressed:
  • children's rights under the UN Convention on Children's Rights and how the internet affects their realisation;
  • situations concerning children's rights in the digital age by discussing specific cases of violations;
  • challenges and obstacles that individuals and organisations encounter when they are trying to promote and protect the rights of children in the digital age on the global and local level;
  • opportunities for change where each participant designed a plan of action as a user and as a member of a group, community or organisation.
The Bulgarian SIC attended the conference for the second time this year. Last year's participants from the SIC youth panel – Lily Slavova and Borislava Dineva, this year were more actively involved in the organisation of the conference itself, contributing to the planning, development and facilitation of various activities.
 
CATS is organised by the Universal Education Foundation, Caux Foundation, Initiatives of Change, Eurochild and Child to Child. The conference is hosted every year by the CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation in the Swiss Alps. This year, the #‎CATS16 conference welcomed 310 people from 35 countries of whom 160 were children and young people.
 
Find out more about the work of the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline and youth participation services.

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