National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Member Priyank Kanoongo has written to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, seeking examination of the reported financial association between UNICEF and Meta, in view of allegations concerning the circulation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on Meta-owned platforms.

Vide letter dated November 12, 2026, addressed to the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, the NHRC forwarded a representation received from the Legal Rights Observatory regarding Meta’s reported financial contributions to UNICEF and their collaborative engagements with child-rights stakeholders on child protection and digital safety.

It was requested that the matter be examined and appropriate action taken in the interest of child protection.

The letter was also marked to the Union Home Secretary, the CEO of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Foreign Secretary.

In the letter, it was stated, “In this backdrop, the reported substantial financial contributions by Meta to UNICEF and other similar organisations raise serious apprehensions regarding the purpose and utilisation of such funds, particularly towards advocacy and institutional engagements. Such financial associations warrant careful examination, as they may potentially lend institutional legitimacy to a platform facing serious allegations and undermine the larger child-protection agenda.”

Kanoongo said that the matter is of serious concern in view of recent reports of paid CSAM-related activities and the circulation of objectionable content through Meta-owned platforms, which, he noted, are under examination and investigation by various law enforcement agencies.

He further stated, “Of particular concern are allegations that content involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of children is being monetised, thereby generating revenue from material depicting the abuse of children.”

In its representation, the Legal Rights Observatory said it had come to its attention that various child-rights institutions, statutory bodies and organisations were participating in collaborative initiatives with UNICEF, Meta and other social media companies on children’s digital safety and the development of institutional mechanisms.

The organisation pointed out that Meta Platforms Inc. figures among UNICEF’s corporate-sector partners contributing substantial amounts towards its programmes, as reflected in UNICEF’s Annual Reports for 2024 and 2025. It expressed apprehension that such funding may be used, directly or indirectly, for advocacy and outreach that could project Meta as a responsible stakeholder in child protection, despite the allegations pending against its platforms.

The representation stated, “The concern is not merely about corporate participation in child-rights initiatives; it is about the potential implications of such participation where the concerned corporate entity is itself under investigation and scrutiny.”

It further contended that an entity whose conduct is under examination by law enforcement agencies should not acquire a role in shaping the safeguards, advocacy frameworks or accountability mechanisms meant to address the very concerns raised against it, as this may also raise apprehensions about the independence of ongoing investigative and regulatory processes.

The organisation sought that the nature of the UNICEF-Meta financial association, the contributions reflected in UNICEF’s annual reports, and the manner and purpose of utilisation of such funds be examined. 

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