ASEZ “Digital Human Rights” Campaign

Supporting Signature for the Designation of “Digital Rights Day”

The rapid advancement of digital technology has brought great benefits to humanity, but it has also intensified new forms of human rights violations—such as the digital divide, cyber violence, privacy breaches, and algorithmic discrimination. Differences in digital access across countries, regions, genders, and generations create unequal opportunities to obtain information and participate in society. Violent online behaviors—including the spread of false information and harassment—threaten individual dignity and safety. In addition, the unauthorized collection, use, or leakage of personal data by corporations and public institutions compromises privacy, while AI and big data–based algorithms may reinforce discrimination if they function unfavorably toward specific groups.

Recognizing these issues, the United Nations has discussed international principles and commitments for a “people-centered and rights-centered digital future” through the Global Digital Compact (GDC), which was adopted at the Summit of the Future in September 2024. The international community now shares the understanding that human rights guaranteed offline must be equally guaranteed online, marking a crucial turning point for strengthening digital-space human rights protections.

In this global context, we strongly perceive the need for an international commemorative day through which the world can reflect on and act together for digital human rights. Establishing Digital Rights Day would:

• Continuously raise global awareness on bridging the digital divide, preventing cyber violence, protecting personal data, and creating a safer online environment;
• Provide a common platform for governments, international organizations, private corporations, and civil society to assess progress and explore improvements;
• Serve as an important opportunity to provide a global platform where youth and citizens can actively participate in digital rights education and campaigns.

Therefore, ASEZ strongly calls upon the United Nations to officially designate “Digital Rights Day” as a UN international observance. We further urge national governments, international organizations, local authorities, educational institutions, businesses, and civil society to join this initiative so that digital technologies may advance in a way that excludes no one and upholds the dignity and rights of all.