Sjekkes mot fremføring.

Dear everyone.

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Oslo, and a privilege to open this important conference.

I would like to say a few words about the value of having someone in your corner.

From time to time, we all find ourselves in situations where we feel powerless.

We may find ourselves in conflict. We may be treated unfairly. Or we may simply feel vulnerable.

In those moments, we need someone — a best friend, a parent, a lawyer — who stands firmly on our side, and no one else’s.

The more powerless we feel — the less agency we have — the more we need someone to speak on our behalf.

We need someone who stands in our corner.

**

This is especially true for children.

Both as individuals and as a group, children have a lot less agency.

They don’t really control their own schedule. They cannot vote. And the youngest children do not even have a fully developed language.

This, of course, makes them vulnerable.

And it was precisely this — that children are a particularly vulnerable group in society — that people began to talk about in the 70s.

Awareness grew. The political foundation was laid.

And in 1981, the world’s first Ombudsperson for Children was established.

Her name was Målfrid Grude Flekkøy, and I am, naturally, very proud to say that she was Norwegian.

Today, there are Ombudspersons for Children across much of the world — and especially in Europe.

I am deeply grateful for each and every one of you, and your colleagues around the world.

I am also grateful that you come together at conferences like this.

That you meet across borders to cooperate on something as fundamental as children’s right to be heard.

**

The key role of the Ombudsperson for Children is to be an advocate for children’s rights.

It is to ensure that the opinions of young people are heard and that their rights are respected by adults and governments.

This means that one of your most important responsibilities is to ensure that decision-makers comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Here in Norway, the Convention has largely shaped the agenda for policies concerning children and their families.

Children’s rights have been firmly embedded in Norwegian law.

The Norwegian Constitution states that the best interests of the child must be a fundamental consideration, and that children have the right to be heard in matters affecting them.

Moreover, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is incorporated through the Human Rights Act.

This has two important implications:

Firstly, the Convention applies as Norwegian law.

Secondly, it takes precedence if it conflicts with other legislation.

Furthermore, several laws explicitly state that the best interests of the child shall be a fundamental consideration, including the Children Act, the Child Welfare Act, the Education Act, and the Adoption Act.

I strongly believe the Convention has led to real progress.

Children’s voices carry more weight today than when Norway ratified the Convention in 1991.

**

But new times bring new forms of vulnerability.

In 1981, we had no internet.

Today, both we and our children live lives that are deeply integrated with the digital world.

This has opened up a world of opportunities, but also a new arena where children can be exploited in different ways.

A growing share of sexual offenses is committed online.

And there have been reports of both boys and girls being manipulated, pressured, or coerced into engaging in sexual acts online.

This deeply concerns me.

The Government will strengthen support services for victims, including assistance in removing images and videos from the internet.

Looking more broadly, we recently presented a white paper on digital upbringing, outlining our efforts to ensure a safe, active, and participatory digital environment for children.

Key measures include setting age limits for social media use, establishing national advisory councils on screen use, and implementing the Digital Services Act to ensure safer and more responsible digital environments.

The most important measure is the proposed age limit for social media use.

We propose that this limit should apply from January 1 in the year a child turns 16.

We know that screen use and social media affect children’s sleep, mental health, learning, and concentration. We are concerned about commercial exploitation, harmful content, and privacy risks.

These services are not designed with children’s well-being in mind.

Safeguarding children in their digital lives is one of my top priorities.

**

This conference circles in on some very important themes:

Children’s right to protection from violence and abuse.

Children’s rights in their interactions with the justice system.

And of course, the rights of LGBTQ+ children.

These are all issues that my colleagues and I prioritize highly.

They also highlight how we still have work to do.

Even though many LGBTQ+ people in Norway live good lives, we know that too many are still subjected to hate crime, discrimination, and even violence.

Trans people are particularly vulnerable.

Once again, we see that LGBTQ+ rights are under pressure, both nationally and internationally.

The pride shooting four years ago was a painful reminder that there is still work to be done.

As politicians, we have a great responsibility.

It is our duty to ensure that everyone can live free, safe, and visible lives — regardless of who you are, who you fall in love with, or what your family looks like.

It is not enough that these rights exists on paper. 

They must be made real.

They must be visible in people’s everyday lives.

**

As long as there are children who are beaten, assaulted, harassed or abused, there is work to be done.

It is equally important that your work continues.

Children across the world need their ombudsperson.

They need you to speak on their behalf.

They need you to be vocal.

To be uncompromising.

And to be fearless.

Children – now more than ever – need that someone in their corner.

Thank you again.

I wish you a great conference.