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INTERCONNECTED: childhood, mental health and digital solutions
C hildren and young people have a lot to gain from digital technologies, including information, learning opportunities, connection and participation in communities. At the same time, the digital space exposes them to potential risks. How we can maximize the benefits of technology, while minimizing risks, is a key topic for UNICEF: It represents not just a moral imperative, but an economic and social necessity. What is needed is collective coordinated action, adequate policies and regulation systems, and an increased responsibility of tech companies as well as investments in educating and supporting children and young people to build their skills, resilience, and wellbeing. Childhood’s connection to mental health Childhood and mental health are interconnected. About three
quarters of adult mental health conditions have an onset during childhood and adolescence. Digital technologies hold a strong potential to help. E-Mental Health (e-MH) and AI-powered tools, for example, offer opportunities to scale up timely, safe and effective mental health support accessible to all – across countries and settings, including in situations of children’s extreme vulnerability and marginalization and in conflicts and emergencies. In a world facing a large mental health crisis, e-MH has a potential to transform traditional mental health systems across countries and contexts. Yet risks, including potential threats to security and data privacy, as well as questions over the transparency of AI decisions, loom large. Policies and coordinated action are needed for evidence- based and robust regulatory oversight aiming to ensure quality,
Childhood today is interconnected with our digital environment. Digital technologies are in children’s toys, their pockets, their homes and classrooms.
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