Spain Leads International Coalition to Safeguard Children from AI Risks

At the opening of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock and Secretary‑General António Guterres called for immediate safeguards to protect children from artificial‑intelligence harms, urging governments and tech firms not to wait for a global consensus. Baerbock highlighted that inaction is a choice and cited the need for safeguards based on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Spain announced the creation of the International Coalition for the Rights and Protection of Children in the AI Era, presented jointly with about twenty other governments and UN agencies—including UNICEF, UNESCO, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Telecommunication Union and the European Commission. The coalition, backed by Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, South Korea, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Morocco, the Netherlands and Spain, aims to ensure AI systems are safe, reliable, trustworthy and respect the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It will address risks such as algorithmic manipulation, harmful content, deep‑fake child pornography and commercial targeting of minors.

ITU Secretary‑General Doreen Bogdan‑Martin, speaking at the AI for Good Global Summit, stressed that AI can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals but warned that billions remain offline and would be left behind without coordinated governance. She echoed the UN leaders’ call for a global AI child‑safety pledge and for inclusive, equitable AI development.