This month, Ruby Mae Axelson, Gender & Child Justice Lead at Global Rights Compliance, attended the 9th Plenary meeting of the Council of Europe’s Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU). The event brought together member states, international organisations, civil society, and experts to assess progress and strengthen coordinated responses to the evolving challenges faced by children affected by the war.
On 16 April, a High-Level Expert Exchange examined the growing challenge of technology-facilitated and AI-enabled violence against children in conflict, exploring emerging risks, legal and policy gaps, and strategies for prevention and protection.
During this event, Ruby spoke about the increasingly systematic pattern of technology-facilitated recruitment and use of children. Technology plays a critical enabling role in this pattern. It allows recruiters to operate rapidly, anonymously, and at scale, primarily through Telegram, while targeting children with precision. Recruiters exploit structural vulnerabilities—including poverty, displacement, family instability, and unmet emotional needs—approaching children with promises of money, protection, or belonging.
The exchange provided an important platform to align efforts, deepen collective understanding, and identify priorities for coordinated action.
Photo credit: Children’s Rights at the Council of Europe