Topic: 2026 – Digital Equity for Children
Country: Slovenia
Delegate Name: Ashley Tesmer
Committee: UNICEF
Topic B: Advancing Digital Equity for Children
Country: The Republic of Slovenia
Delegate: Ashley Tesmer
School: Grand Haven High School
Getting online helps young minds learn, stay safe, and reach what they aim for, says Slovenia, agreeing with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Through learning rooms, high-speed links stretch today; tools get passed around – steps shaped by Europe-wide planning. Still, warnings rise: fairness stretches past wires and displays. In safety, price tags, feeling included, real voice, that is where it stands, note leaders.
Once schools closed during COVID, uneven web access became impossible to ignore (UNESCO). Without reliable devices or stable signals, learning from home became a struggle for many children (UNESCO). Slovenia did not stand still – it grew its online classrooms while also helping citizens learn how to navigate them (European Commission). Still, shortfalls linger; remote villages trail behind, much like some marginalized groups (International Telecommunication Union). Affordable pricing shows up alongside disability-specific support, multilingual resources, and stronger safety in virtual areas among current goals (UNICEF).
From abroad, Slovenia backs joint efforts through the EU, along with the UN, so tech gaps shrink instead of widening them (United Nations). To reach more young people, UNICEF needs to improve internet access in overlooked areas, grow skills for safer online movement, and also put firmer protections in place for children (UNICEF). Fair access to digital life isn’t only tied to gadgets – it links to basic rights, a sense of belonging, plus how neighborhoods change over time (United Nations).
While using tech every day, kids also help define how it evolves, says Slovenia. Because they live with digital tools constantly, young people deserve space at policy tables – particularly around issues like who sees their data or what content they can reach (United Nations). Instead of tacking on computer lessons late in school plans, nations should treat digital know-how like voting or jury duty: essential for informed citizens (UNESCO). Questioning false claims online, managing personal info wisely, and acting fairly in virtual spaces – these abilities matter just as much as reading or math. Not later. Now.
Starting fresh and working alongside tech firms needs better rules and someone to answer to. Even if new ideas push internet access ahead, those companies still have to respect kids when gathering info, showing ads, or deciding what content stays up (UNICEF). When clear guidelines meet serious follow-through by governments, it keeps online progress from risking young users’ well-being. Because of this, Slovenia supports UNICEF’s ongoing work linking global funds, studies, and hands-on help – keeping every child within reach and shielded. Progress depends on upgrading country schools, preparing educators properly, plus tools that adapt to different ways kids learn (International Telecommunication Union). Only then does being online stop feeling like a bonus – and start looking like something everyone gets by right.
One thing stands clear. For Slovenia, closing the gap in digital access isn’t about quick fixes during hard times – it’s a steady path forward. If kids get into trustworthy, welcoming corners of the internet, what follows goes beyond facts – they find openings, ways to speak up, power to build what comes next. Holding on to that truth? That part belongs to everyone. It takes ongoing work together, steps you can see, efforts that stick.
Works Cited
European Commission. Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2023: Slovenia. European Union, 2023.
International Telecommunication Union. Measuring Digital Development: Facts and Figures 2023. ITU, 2023.
UNESCO. Education in a Post-COVID World: Nine Ideas for Public Action. UNESCO, 2021.
United Nations. Our Common Agenda. United Nations, 2021.
UNICEF. The State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a Digital World. UNICEF, 2017.
