Legal Spotlight | Belinda Matore — Championing Child Digital Rights in Africa
By May Mens - Legal Africa
Belinda Matore is a distinguished legal professional and academic, renowned for her expertise in digital rights, child protection, and internet governance across Africa. Holding an LLB from the University of South Africa and an LLM in Private Law with a specialization in Sports Law from the University of Pretoria, she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Laws (LLD) at the University of Pretoria. Her doctoral research focuses on the emerging and critical field of child digital rights, particularly concerning the protection of vulnerable groups in the digital age.
In her role as a project officer at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, Matore actively engages in projects that address the complexities of digital expression and information rights. She advocates for trauma-informed approaches to online activism, emphasizing the need to prioritize the dignity and rights of victims in digital spaces .
Beyond academia, Matore is deeply committed to empowering the next generation of legal professionals. In 2022, she co-founded Bathuseng Legal, through which she launched an annual series of workshops in partnership with the Department of Justice. These workshops aim to equip young legal practitioners with practical tools and insights, introducing them to alternative and emerging career paths within the legal sector .
Matore’s contributions extend to thought leadership on the legal frameworks surrounding children’s rights in the digital environment. She emphasizes the necessity for collaborative, multi-stakeholder approaches to ensure that children’s privacy rights are respected, protected, and promoted in the digital era
Her work not only influences policy development and advocacy efforts across the continent but also serves as a beacon for integrating ethical considerations into digital governance. Through her academic pursuits, professional engagements, and community initiatives, Belinda Matore continues to shape the discourse on child digital rights, striving for a safer and more equitable digital future for Africa’s youth.
