Changes in legislation on the protection of children's rights.

April 3, 2026

Amendments to the legislation aimed at protecting children's rights came into force on January 17, 2026, introducing changes to the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Rights of the Child". The innovations cover a wide range of issues, from the regulation of children's toys to the establishment of clear rules of conduct for minors in the digital environment.
Particular attention in the updated legislation is paid to protecting children from information that can harm their health, moral, and mental development. One of the key directions of the changes is the expansion of the list of information whose distribution among children is restricted.
Legislators have included in this list information that discredits family and marital relations and is destructive to the institution of the family.
In addition, the circulation of children's toys is now legally regulated. If a toy reproduces plots from computer games or films, it is equated to information products.
Such products are subject to mandatory labeling with an age category mark, which allows parents to make informed choices about play materials for their child.
The amendments that have entered into force consolidate the transition from a recommendatory approach to protecting children in the digital environment to a system of clearly defined obligations. Parents are now not only entitled but also obliged to control the online environment their children are in, using both educational conversations and technical blocking tools. The law proceeds from the principle that parents, being in daily contact with their child, should explain to them the rules of internet use, teach them to navigate the vast amount of information, and distinguish safe content from dangerous content.
The state, in turn, takes on the role of coordinator, providing adults with the necessary consulting support and tools to create a safe information space around each child.
Educational institutions and mass media play a special role in implementing these tasks. Educators help children develop safe online behavior skills, while mass media serve as a platform for educating adults about new control tools and the importance of explaining these matters to children.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor
Glubokoe District     A.V. Yankina