Tag Archives: Child Online Africa

Regional

Africa urged to support adopted General Comment No.25 (2021)

Maravi Post Reporter

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Child Online Africa (COA) has said in a statement that it “extends it compliments to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child for adopting General Comment No.25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment.”

According to the pan-African group it considers “digital safety and literacy as an essential element of children’s growth and development and we are excited about that the fact that for first time in history, children’s digital experiences are acknowledged within the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).”

“While this historic moment puts a feather in the cap for all CSO’s, Child Online Protection Initiative Working Group Members and other stakeholders working to protect children on the internet, we inclined to remind central governments across Africa to be guided by some pertinent issues contained in the recommendation,” the statement signed by its executive director, Awo Aidam Amenyah said.

Those recommendations include:

  • Meaningful access to digital technologies can empower children and support them to realize the full range of their civil, political, cultural, economic and social rights.
  • States take robust legislative and administrative measures guided by the Safety By Design principles to protect children from harmful and misleading content online.
  • Businesses should not profile or target children for commercial purposes on the basis of the children’s digital records.

It said as an organization “working in the area, we are pleased to contribute to the General comment and we consider it as tool which helps to promote international cooperation on online safety while creating harmonization on these issues particularly as threats to children’s safety online cross both national and international borders.

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It is our hope that EVERY country in Africa will start implementing the principles in order to guarantee a trustworthy digital environment for the African.”

Social media blamed for high divorce cases in Zambia

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Source: Africafeeds.com

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Regional

Africa Safer Internet Day 2021 launched in Ghana

Maravi Post Reporter

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The Safer Internet Day Committee in partnership with Africa Safer Internet Day Partners has launched 2021 Africa Safer Internet Day in Ghana.

The day which falls on Tuesday 9th February 2021 is a day set aside to discuss how to make the web a safe place for everyone especially children.

In a statement the organizers of the impending celebration said this year’s theme “Positioning and Partnering for Child Online Protection” will be observed across Africa to help child-focused organizations tackle and approach COP issues holistically without having to prioritize one risk over another.

The statement also added that the commemoration will also “ensure a better online environment is created for ALL especially children and young people.

Foster a culture of COP with relevant stakeholders backed by policies including the children themselves.”

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It also added that the commemoration will also “develop, share or contextualize available resources to support children’s detection and management of cyberbullying situations.”

Awo Aidam Amenyah, Executive Director for Child Online Africa said at the launch via Zoom in Accra that “The 2021 celebration is keener because of our present situation, taking into cognizance the effects of COVID-19 on the world.

Our lives have moved from physical spaces to virtual ones with the students having to do mostly online classes and workers now having to telework and hold online meetings.”

The theme for this year, “Positioning and Partnering for Child Online Protection” is apt for the period that we are in.”

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She adds that “Government’s across the Africa needs to make a conscientious effort to partner various online protection agencies to ensure the internet is a safer place for all especially children guided by the New Child Online Protection Guidelines launched by the International Telecommunications Union in 2020.

As the Safer Internet Day Committee for Ghana and one of the Child Online Protection Implementation Partners for the, we are more than happy to be working with the African theme since it will afford all countries in Africa to team up in order to make things happen for the African Child.”

The statement said funding support has come from “the National Communications Authority, Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Facebook-Africa, Africa Digital Rights Hub, Innovare Learning Ltd and Dimension Data Limited.”

The Africa Safer Internet Day is expected to contribute to information and knowledge sharing on Child Online Protection best practices, from governance to basic skills/tips and is expected to bring Child Protection stakeholders, both local and international, together towards securing that African Child is safe online.

For more information send us an email at info@childonlineafrica.org or join in the conversation by following us on Twitter: @COnlineAfrica Facebook: @ChildOnlineAfrica Instagram: Child_Online Africa and by using the hashtag: #ASID2021

Child Online Protection Guidelines launched in Africa

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Regional

Child Online Protection Guidelines in Africa region launched

Maravi Post Reporter
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Child Online Protection Guidelines in Africa was launched on Friday, 30 October 2020.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) launched the guidelines following a training program from 26 to 29 October 2020.

The training was held online, in French and English and meant to equip experts in the field of child online protection with the requisite tools in relation to the guidelines.

The 2020 Guidelines on child online protection are aligned with Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030.

The launch of the guidelines will help facilitate their promotion, adaptation and contex?tualization at national and regional& level.?

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The ITU said “children and young people are often at the forefront of adoption and adaptation to new connected technologies and the opportunities and benefits they bring.”

It adds that children “are also exposed to a range of content, contacts and threats and harm online.”

The ITU said “helping children and young people manage risks online can be effective, but governments also need to ensure that there are adequate support services for those who experience harm online and those children k?now how to access t?he?se services.”

The new guidelines, as well as the documents relating to their launch, practical information and other relevant documents are available on this website.

Africa’s first adaptive learning online high school launches

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Source: Africafeeds.com

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