The Ministry of Women and Social Affairs said it is working with UNICEF to protect children from online abuse.
A study indicated that one in four young people in Ethiopia between the age of 12 and 17 are internet users and 98 percent of them are accessing it via smart phones.
Ministry of Women and Social Affairs State Minister Alemitu Umut told ENA that the ministry is working in partnership with UNICEF to protect children from online abuses nationwide.
“We have plan working with the UNICEF on child abuses. So we are working with the regional states to organize and build the network systems in the regional states and at the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs,” Alemitu said, adding that we work on awareness creation to enable children on how to use the internet system.
She affirmed that creating awareness for every child on the use of the internet will protect them from exposing them to online abuses and exploitation.
“If everyone is aware of on how to use the internet, I think every child will be protected from the cyber and child abuses and online exploitations.”
A study indicated that one in four young people in Ethiopia between the age of 12 and 17 are internet users and 98 percent of them are accessing it via smart phones.
The ministry has recently established a technical working group drawn from concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations to coordinate interventions on child online safety nationwide, it was learnt.
UNICEF Ethiopia is working in partnership with the ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Social Affairs and Ministry of justice to strengthen child protection systems in the country.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency