Call for Contributions

Children’s Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

International Summer Course on the Rights of the Child, 13^th Edition

June 16 to 18, 2026

Université de Moncton, in person and online

The Interdisciplinary Research Group on Children’s Rights (GRIDE) is pleased to announce the 13^th edition of the International Summer Course on Children’s Rights under the theme of Children’s Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. This forum will promote exchanges and mutual learning among researchers, professionals, and other stakeholders involved in promoting children’s rights at the local, national, and international levels.

At a time when artificial intelligence (AI) in various forms is becoming more prevalent in everyday life, the 2026 Summer Course invites participants to reflect on the transformations of children's rights in this unprecedented digital context.

Adopted in 1989, the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) does not mention the digital world explicitly. However, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recognizes in its General Comment n°25 (2021) that the digital environment “[...] affords new opportunities for the realization of children’s rights, but also poses the risks of their violation or abuse” (paragraph 3).

Despite potentially beneficial impacts of AI on children’s lives, these systems also expose them to specific risks. It is relevant, therefore, to question the place of children in this context and to reflect collectively on the necessary changes (e.g., political, educational, and legal frameworks) needed to guarantee the rights set out in the CRC. The aim is to better understand the changing needs and rights of children in the face of social and normative transformations associated with the development of AI.

Researchers, professionals, and practitioners from various fields and disciplines are invited to submit a proposal for a presentation that relates to one of the following areas, without being limited to them:

• AI-assisted learning and children’s right to education
• Children’s health and well-being in the face of various uses of AI
• Children’s right to privacy in the age of AI
• The evolution of public policies for the protection of children in light of AI
• The evolution of the criminal justice system and access to justice in the age of AI

Submission guidelines

Researchers, professionals, and practitioners from various disciplines and fields must submit their proposal in Word format by January 31, 2026, to: GRIDE@umoncton.ca

Proposals in French and English will be considered if they meet the criteria below.

Please make sure to include:

• The title of the proposal
• The name(s) of the author(s) and their current affiliation
• An abstract not exceeding 250 words

Proposals must:

• Address the theme of the Summer Course and contribute to the discussion on children’s rights and AI;
• Identify a specific issue relevant to the advancement of scientific knowledge and/or professional practice;
• Present the methodological approach;
• Highlight the results obtained;
• Indicate how the presentation will provide relevant insights for reflection and action on children’s rights in the age of AI.

Selection decisions will be communicated to authors by February 28, 2026. Presentations of about 20 minutes each (more details to come) will be held from June 16 to 18, 2026.

Queries should be addressed to: GRIDE@umoncton.ca