H.M. Drottningens förinspelade tal vid Global Child Forums session Children’s Rights and The Telecommunications Industry: Where do we stand, where are we going? Mobile World Congress, Barcelona

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Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to this session hosted by Global Child Forum. While I wish I could have been with you in person, I am happy that I can share a few words with you about the importance of your participation in this event.

Many years ago, I made the decision to devote much of my time to children’s rights. In 2009, His Majesty and I founded the Global Child Forum.

We wanted to provide a meeting place for business leaders to come together to discuss, with all parts of society, children’s rights and how to foster progress in this field.

Over the past decade we have seen that companies are transitioning from a ”profit-only” model of business to a “purpose-driven” model of leadership. They are becoming corporate citizens.

Through this shift, we are seeing companies deliver real societal impact. And your sector – Technology & Telecommunication – is an enormously important actor. Not only for the global economy, but for society itself.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an unthinkable toll on society – none the least on children. They are experiencing a social, emotional and academic ordeal that will require more than a vaccine to remedy.
From the outset of the pandemic, there was a growing reliance on technology. Our educational systems now depend on it. And as the influence of technology on children’s lives continues to expand, your sector becomes even more important in creating a safe world for children – for all children.

As we will hear this morning, technology and telecommunications companies are now creating initiatives based on insights from Global Child Forum’s benchmark reports.

These companies are choosing to lead by example. And also to generously share their experiences and best practices with others.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank all of you for participating today. I wish you all an informative and inspiring event!

Thank you.

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