Children, adolescents and technology in education: Conectar Igualdad program

Since its launch in 2010, the Conectar Igualdad program has been key for the digital inclusion of children and adolescents (C&A) in Argentina.

Under this premise, we inquired into the public procurement procedures for the educational laptops delivered within the program. The analysis of public policies in their implementation can help us understand their impact on the rights of beneficiaries so as to improve them.

It is essential to promote the C&A’s rights perspective in all the stages – strategic planning, management and execution – of a program with these characteristics, reaching all the actors involved. Particular attention should be paid to the definition of the most appropriate technology and the conditions under which these systems are effectively used.

The challenge is huge and our recommendations for facing it are ambitious, but ultimately, what is at stake is the rights of the persons below 18 to whom these policies are addressed so that they can use digital technologies in an active, appropriate, safe and responsible way.