Media Update-2: United Nations Pakistan, 30 June 2026
UNIC-Islamabad
30 June 2026
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UNICEF
STATEMENT
Children are adopting AI technologies more than three times faster than adults
Statement by UNICEF on children’s use of Artificial Intelligence ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance
NEW YORK/FLORENCE, 30 June 2026 – “AI is here. It is a growing part of all of our lives. And it is already shaping childhood around the world – for better and for worse.
“New evidence is laying bare the scale and speed of its uptake by children worldwide, while exposing the risks and divides emerging alongside it.
“Analysis by UNICEF drawing on new data from 10 countries estimates that at least 20 million children have used Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many are outpacing adults by adopting it at rates more than three times faster.
“More than 2 million children – or 1 in 10 – said they turn to AI for advice on things that worry them, and an estimated 13 million children said they use it to support their learning and homework.
“As children’s use of AI accelerates, the rules that govern its use – including protections for children – are struggling to keep up.
“Children are more exposed to AI systems – including how they are designed, their underlying business models, and how their own data is used – yet have far less power to avoid or challenge them. They feel the effects of weak governance first and will live with the consequences the longest. Yet most AI governance does not prioritise children.
“While AI has potential to bring opportunities for children to learn, play, or be creative, evidence about its role in cognitive development, emotional dependency, and exposure to harm is just emerging. In effect, a generation is growing up inside a global experiment.
“Children themselves recognise the risks. In the 10 countries, a third of children reported concerns about AI being used to scam and trick others, or spread misinformation, while a quarter feared having their images or videos manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes. Too many systems are reaching children with no guardrails – safety, seemingly, an afterthought.
“Ahead of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, UNICEF is calling on governments, the private sector, and partners to embed child rights, especially the right to safety and protection, in global AI governance by:
- Investing in research on AI's impact on children’s development and well-being, especially the risks.
- Strengthening laws, governance frameworks, and corporate accountability to stop AI-enabled sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Ensuring that AI systems are designed with maximum safety and transparency, so all children have a chance to be protected while benefiting from opportunities.
- Building AI literacy and providing support for children and their parents or caregivers to thrive in the digital environment.
- Investing in digital infrastructure and meaningful connectivity for every child and their parents or caregivers, at home and at school to close the AI divide between and within countries.
“This is a decisive moment. The choices made about AI now will shape children’s safety, privacy, well-being, and their equal access to opportunities for decades to come.”
Notes to editors:
Download UNICEF’s Snapshot of AI Usage and Concerns Among Children and Parents here
This brief draws on survey data from Disrupting Harm Phase 2, the second phase of a research project led by UNICEF’s Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti, ECPAT International, and INTERPOL, with funding from Safe Online. Countries included in this analysis are Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Mexico, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Pakistan, and Serbia.
The estimates presented here are based on nationally representative household surveys implemented by UNICEF and IPSOS across these 10 countries. Approximately 1,000 internet-using children aged 12-17 and 1,000 of their parents or caregivers were surveyed per country, using a sampling design aimed at achieving full or near full national coverage (91–100 per cent). National point estimates were used to model the population-level figures, weighting them by UN 2024 population-level data and estimated child internet-use rates. The research was carried out across countries representing diverse regional contexts.
About UNICEF
UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to
reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.
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ILO
PRESS RELEASE
Government Allocates PKR 1 Billion ($3.6 Million) Grant for the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection
ISLAMABAD, June 29, 2026 – The Government of Pakistan has approved a PKR 1 billion (USD 3.6 million) allocation to support the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection, marking a significant national investment in expanding decent employment opportunities, strengthening social protection systems and supporting more inclusive economic growth.
The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD), in close coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the National Steering Committee, with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), will lead the initiative.
The allocation reflects the Government's strong ownership of the initiative and complements ongoing technical assistance provided by the ILO. It will help unlock decent work opportunities in priority sectors and accelerate Pakistan's progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
The investment will support the development of a National Roadmap for Decent Jobs with clear, time-bound targets. It will also help advance the formalization of the economy by bringing informal workers and enterprises into the formal economy while expanding social protection coverage. In addition, the initiative will support targeted interventions to increase labour force participation among young people and women, including through the care economy and digital transformation.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development emphasized, "This PKR 1 billion (USD 3.6 million) allocation is a powerful catalyst with enormous strategic significance. It equips the Government to pilot innovative approaches to formalization and turn Pakistan's demographic dividend into an economic opportunity, particularly for young people and women.”
Geir Tonstol, Country Director of the ILO in Pakistan stated, "The ILO is proud to support this partnership with the Government and social partners. Together, we are working to ensure that economic growth translates into more decent work opportunities, stronger social protection systems, and more inclusive and resilient labour markets across Pakistan."
Mohammad Yahya, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan said, "Through the Global Accelerator, supported by the Joint SDG Fund and the United Nations system, Pakistan is demonstrating how strategic investments can expand decent employment opportunities, strengthen social protection systems and accelerate the transition to formality. The Government's contribution reflects the strength of national ownership and partnership, setting an important example of how investments in jobs and social protection can drive inclusive growth and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals."
The initiative is aligned with the Government's fiscal strategy for FY 2026–27, which targets 4 per cent GDP growth and the creation of 2 million new jobs. Over the coming months, the National Steering Committee, with ILO support, will finalise the National Roadmap for Decent Jobs. Led by the OPHRD, the process will bring together key stakeholders to translate the Government's employment commitments into measurable results across the country.