Accra, Ghana, January 31, 2019// – Child Online Africa, a leading child centred NGO and Safer Internet Day Africa (SID Africa) partners announced that Safer Internet Day 2019 (#SID2019) will be celebrated in Ghana and other 11 African countries on Tuesday 5 February 2019.
This year’s #SID2019 celebration is themed- ‘Together for a Better Internet’ will be marked by community durbars and other safer internet activities across the 12 countries.
Speaking at the launch in Accra, Executive Director of Child Online Africa, Mrs Awo Aidam Amenyah said: “We have celebrated the day in the past four years and this year being fifth and we are excited about the steady progress we have chalk from one regional celebration to five regions, Ghana wide and now to the 12 African countries.
It only confirms SIDGhana partners resolved and commitment to create the much needed awareness on Internet safety for all”.
SIDAfrica partners joined the growing global effort among nonprofits, industry, academic institutions, government entities, municipalities and individuals to raise awareness in all settings on the need to practice cyber hygiene, according to her.
“It is in this spirit of the worldwide theme for #SID2019: ‘Together for a better internet’, that we encouraged all Africans to collaborate with their communities and support each other in the awareness creation to develop in our children the critical skills of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, REASONING AND RESILIENCE (the 4Rs) required for navigating the online world”.
In Ghana, Mrs Amenyah noted: “As has happened in the previous years, this year’s event will take place concurrently in over 300 communities and about 200 districts across the country through the strategic partnership of their new partner, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Department of Children. We expect to directly reach more than 30,000 children and young people across Ghana”.
She therefore encouraged their partners in the media to use and avail your platforms to support this course, stressing: “Help us to empower our children with the tools and knowledge they require to stay safe online”.
For African wide, Uganda Communications Commission, Defence for Children International and the Ministry of Information and Communications, Sierra Leone; Public Private Development Center and Initiative for Food Environment and Health Society (IFEHS), Nigeria; ThomiAfrica, South Africa have joined hands to ensure that the Safer Internet Day celebrations are marked in these countries, Mrs Amenyah said.
Other part institutions are –A Common Future, Cameroun; National Federation for Child Rights Organizations (FENADEB), Burundi; Mtoto News and CSO Forum, East Africa region; Brighter Initiative for Revitalization and Development (BIRD-Liberia); Trace Kenya; Disability Federation, The Gambia; Basic Education Association, Ethiopia; and National Council for Childhood & Motherhood, Egypt.
“In our view, it is difficult to hold anyone person or institution accountable for the protection of children and young people online. But we believe that the protection of our children within the digital space is and remains a shared responsibility.
We all have a role to play, therefore let us come “Together for a better internet”.#SID2019 #SIDAfrica #SIDGhanawww.childonlineafrica.org/sidafrica”.
Mrs Amenyah emphasized in the past five consecutive years, this event could not have been possible without the tremendous support of SID Partners like: World Vision International (WVI), Facebook, Media Foundation For West Africa (MFWA), Plan International, Mutichoice Africa, MTN Ghana Foundation, Innovare Learning.
Previously it has been Tigo, Vodafone, FirstBanC Group, National Communications Authority. With strategic partners like the Africa Union Commission, National Commission on Civic education, Ghana Education service, Ministry of Communications, IVYLEE PR Advisory, Department of Children under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection and the Data Protection Commission.
Richard Anyamesem , a senior official of Opportunity International, a nonprofit organization that is working to end global poverty by creating and sustaining jobs, who launched the #SID2019 #SIDAfrica #SIDGhana, called on parents to take their children online activities serious.
Instructively, SID is a landmark campaign delivered locally through a number of Safer Internet Centres in Europe and Safer Internet Day Committees beyond Europe, and it is backed by the Better Internet for Kids’ line of work (coordinated by European Schoolnet on behalf of the European Commission.
The day is marked in February of each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among children and young people across the world.
Although the campaign originally started in Europe back in 2004, it has grown year on year since that time, and was celebrated in more than 140 countries in 2018.
African Eye Report
