AT the 2024 ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Protection Online, children and young people asked ASEAN representatives to make the internet safer for all. They reiterated that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect children on the internet.
They called on stakeholders to make laws and policies easier for children to understand; expand access to services especially for children with disabilities and out-of-school children as well as those living in remote and underserved areas; building digital media literacy to teach children, parents, and educators about online safety.
“Children’s online safety requires a multi-stakeholder response across borders. We must collaborate with governments and industry partners to ensure safer online experiences for children. This means implementing security by design, embedding age-appropriate protections, limiting content and interactions safer by ensuring there is no direct contact between adults and children—while also addressing peer-to-peer exploitation. Our goal is for children to have a safe and seamless experience both online and offline,” said Hanneke Oudkerk, Regional Director for Asia. ChildFund International.
Kids are asking for systems that increase their security without invasive measures like identity verification. They want to feel safe online but also want to maintain their freedom to express themselves without feeling constantly monitored or restricted.
These recommendations come after an extensive consultation process with more than 5,600 children and young people led by ChildFund International and UNICEF. The results of the consultation revealed that only 18% of teachers provide information about online safety to children. Only 2% of participant parents knew about online safety.
More than half of children and teenagers know about laws that protect them from online violence. Yet only 39% believe the law is very effective. Online safety initiatives such as the Swipe Safe ChildFund project promote online child protection with children, parents, frontline workers, and law enforcement across the spectrum of prevention and response.
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Consultations were carried out through online surveys and focus group discussions which ultimately culminated in national consultations held in Semarang, Lampung, Kupang and Jakarta, to ensure representation of various groups of children such as children with disabilities, those living in remote and underprivileged areas, and the community. urban. Relevant government officials from the police cybercrime unit and child protection unit were also consulted.
Discussions at the ASEAN ICT Forum also focused on the online experiences of different genders. This impacts how victims of online abuse are supported. “Taking a victim-centered approach strengthens protection systems and encourages more compassionate, trauma-sensitive and effective responses to online child protection,” stressed Jessica Leslie, Child Protection Director at ChildFund International.
“Support interventions for victims must involve families and communities to provide a sensitive and responsive ecosystem for victims,” said Reny Haning, Child Protection and Advocacy Specialist at ChildFund International in Indonesia. (Z-2)
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