by ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – THE Ethiopian government has partnered children’s rights groups to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation of minors amid the rise of digital technologies introducing new risks to children.
The government, through the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, has partnered the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and ChildFund Ethiopia to launch a “Training Manual for Child Protection Actors, Criminal Justice Professionals and Policy Makers” this past weekend.
The intention is to fight online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) in the East African country that is among the most populous in the continent.
Government and the children’s rights groups jointly stated the manual has been developed as a resource aimed at raising awareness among child protection actors, criminal justice professionals and policymakers about the scourge.
“Safeguarding children online is a shared responsibility and different stakeholders play different roles. It is important to ensure that these stakeholders work together and coordinate their efforts in keeping children safe,” they stated.
OCSEA refers to the use of technology or the internet to facilitate the sexual exploitation and abuse of a child, and is rife in the country of 134 million people, a majority youth.
A UNICEF study in 2021 indicated that a number of internet-using children in Ethiopia engage in unsafe online practices, making them vulnerable to OCSEA.
The study established that 18 percent had met someone in person after an online encounter, and 8 percent shared explicit images.
At least 10 percent of children experienced severe cases of OCSEA, with many incidents going unreported due to a lack of awareness and feelings of shame.
Additionally, UNICEF research revealed that stakeholders, including the social service workforce and law enforcement professionals, have limited capacity to address OCSEA.
– CAJ News