First Lady Monica Chakwera has emphasised the need to protect children from dangers of the cyberspace as the country moves to embrace technology.
She made the call at Mkwichi Secondary School in Lilongwe yesterday when Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) launched the Child Online Protection initiative aimed at safeguarding children from harmful online content.
The First Lady, who is also the Child Online Protection ambassador, called on teachers, parents and guardians to ensure that children are protected online.
Said Chakwera: “The digital world is an open field and it’s full of endless possibilities yet not without hidden dangers. As we embrace technology, we must also shield our children from its darker corners. Let us work together to protect them online.”
The First Lady observed that while the Internet and the cyberspace in general is an important tool for education and a source of information, it is crucial to ensure that it is used responsibly by children at the watch of guardians.
“There are ways we can put in place to control what these children access so that they do not wander off. Some of the content they are exposed to is very tempting and addictive, which can influence them into harmful habits which can affect their lives,” she said.
In his remarks, Minister of information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu said the initiative is timely as the country is committing to expand access to Internet usage in the country which, although is a positive development, has its own risks which can affect children.
To ensure children are protected, the minister said the initiative will intensify awareness on the dangers the children can incur in the cyberspace and how they can be prevented while also warning would-be offenders who harass and entice children into accessing harmful content online.
Said Kunkuyu: “We are aligning ourselves to laws and policies that can ensure children are protected online. As government we are pushing for the development of these laws and policies so that they can have a legal instrument to cement such initiatives.”
Macra board director Alekeni Menyani said, among other factors, the initiative has been launched considering the country’s current status making it one of the cheapest data destinations which makes internet readily available.
He added that there is also a growing number of users of smartphones and gadgets which is also leading to an increased access to internet and numerous complaints of online abuse.
“We receive many complaints even from adults but we thought of children who are more vulnerable but are also using the internet vastly. As such we are duty bound by the law to make sure the platform is safe for children and through this initiative, we hope to raise more awareness,” said Menyani.
The initiative is spearheaded by Macra in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
