NATO spouses discuss children’s digital safety in Ankara

On 8 July, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara, First Lady of Türkiye Emine Erdoğan hosted the roundtable “Children, Technology & Security: Protecting the Next Generation”, bringing together spouses and partners of heads of state and government to discuss one of the fastest-growing international policy issues — protecting children in the digital environment.

The discussion focused on how governments, educators, parents, civil society and technology companies can work together to ensure that children benefit from digital technologies while remaining safe online. Participants exchanged national experiences and emphasised the growing importance of international cooperation in addressing challenges related to artificial intelligence, online safety and digital literacy.

“Creating a safe digital environment for children is a shared responsibility that requires international cooperation,” First Lady Emine Erdoğan said, noting that Türkiye would continue promoting this agenda, including through its Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Digital World.

A central part of the discussion focused on the growing impact of artificial intelligence on children’s lives. Participants agreed that while digital technologies create new opportunities for education, communication and creativity, they also expose children to online violence, manipulation, disinformation and other emerging risks, making coordinated international action increasingly important.

During the discussion, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska drew attention to a challenge unique to Ukraine’s wartime reality — the online recruitment of children by Russian intelligence services. She described how teenagers are targeted through popular platforms and online games, manipulated into carrying out criminal acts and terrorist attacks, often without fully understanding the consequences of their actions.

According to Mrs Zelenska, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have uncovered 325 cases of attempted recruitment over the past two years. She also presented Ukraine’s response, including awareness campaigns in schools, digital hygiene education and reporting tools developed with national institutions.

“Every child needs a circle of trust,” the First Lady of Ukraine said, emphasising that protecting children begins with trusted adults — parents, teachers and communities.

First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė highlighted another dimension of digital security, describing children’s online safety as an investment in the resilience of democratic societies.

“Protecting children in the digital space strengthens the security of our societies from within. Young people are among the most susceptible to disinformation and radicalisation. Children who are emotionally resilient and digitally safe will grow into resilient citizens of their countries,” she said.

Mrs Nausėdienė also presented Lithuania’s initiatives aimed at strengthening children’s online safety through cooperation between policymakers, researchers, educators, businesses and technology companies. She welcomed the European Commission’s decision to make children’s online safety one of the European Union’s priorities and expressed support for First Lady of the United States Melania Trump’s initiative to establish a global coalition dedicated to children’s well-being in the age of artificial intelligence.

Other participants also shared national approaches to digital child protection. Milena Spajić, spouse of the Prime Minister of Montenegro, stressed that children do not distinguish between the physical and digital worlds and therefore deserve equal protection in both. Partner of the President of Romania Mirabela Grădinaru emphasised that technology should remain a tool supporting children’s education and development, while First Lady of Poland Marta Nawrocka underlined the importance of combating online hate speech, disinformation and violence, announcing that Poland will continue the international dialogue on children’s digital safety later this year in Warsaw.

The discussion in Ankara continued a broader international conversation that has gained significant momentum in recent months. In May, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump convened the Fostering the Future Together Summit, bringing together representatives from 45 countries to discuss children’s well-being in the age of artificial intelligence and propose the creation of a global coalition on the issue. In June, children’s digital safety was also at the centre of the spouses’ programme during the G7 Summit, where First Lady of France Brigitte Macron hosted the discussion “Protecting Children in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

The growing international focus on children’s online safety also resonates with the work of the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform. In September 2024, the Fourth Summit in Kyiv included a dedicated discussion on Child Safety in Cyberspace, reflecting the Platform’s longstanding commitment to protecting children in an increasingly digital world. Today, as this conversation gains momentum across international forums, it is becoming clear that safeguarding children requires a holistic approach that brings together physical, psychological, legal and digital protection.

The discussion in Ankara also brought together a number of active contributors to the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform. Among them were First Lady of Türkiye Emine Erdoğan, spouse of the Prime Minister of Albania Linda Rama, First Gentleman of Denmark Bo Tengberg, First Lady of Finland Suzanne Innes-Stubb, First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, spouse of the Prime Minister of Greece Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis, First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė, First Lady of Poland Marta Nawrocka, and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. Together, they have contributed to the Platform’s international initiatives through summit discussions, campaigns and other joint activities in recent years.

As artificial intelligence and digital technologies continue to reshape childhood, international efforts are increasingly focused not only on unlocking new opportunities, but also on ensuring that every child is protected — physically, psychologically, legally and online.