News

The 2022 edition of the Africa Safer Internet Day (ASID) was celebrated on Tuesday February 08, 2022, with African countries rallying and focusing on the theme "Positioning and Partnering for Child Online Protection”.

In a video address that went viral, the Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Ama Pomaa Boateng, indicated that “it will be a tragedy to ignore the threats posed by the internet; the consequences will be so grave and expose our failures as parents, guardians, educators, civil society and government”.

She used the occasion to encourage all stakeholders to get involved; “we must understand what goes on in the space, understand what our children do online and engage authorities to address issues that arise as children study and socialise in the cyberspace”- Madam Ama Pomaa said.

In a press release, the Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, said awareness creation was very essential in fighting cybercrimes and more so for the protection of children online, “for every awareness created, a child can be protected, secured, and saved from online criminal abuses like sextortion, cyberbullying, cyber grooming, sexting, possession and distribution of child pornography. All stakeholders are therefore encouraged to get involved to raise awareness on online safety issues to promote safer and positive use of digital technology, especially among children and young people.”

TThe CSA observed the day in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Education, UNICEF, Plan International and all other child online protection partner agencies and stakeholders to create awareness and build nationwide understanding on the need for children to be guided to stay safe online.

Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over a hundred and seventy (170) countries worldwide. The event is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.