According to recent evidence, a majority (67%) of children in Tanzania aged 12 to 17 are internet users. In 2021 alone, at least 200,000 children in Tanzania were victims of child online sexual exploitation and abuse. This indicates that about 5% of these children had met someone in person after initially connecting online, and most of them were happy with those interactions. Additionally, around 3% of the children reported that they had shared naked images or videos of themselves with someone else. The survey also found that most children who received unwanted requests for sexual acts refused to comply, though a small percentage did. Furthermore, 2% of children stated that sexual images of them had been shared without their permission.

Due to these findings, the government initiated a national campaign on child online protection to raise awareness among children, parents or guardians, teachers, the community, ministries, departments and agencies, as well as local government authority officers. This campaign was launched on February 10, 2024, in Dodoma.

The launch of the campaign involved several activities, including pre-visits from media representatives aimed at educating the public on the importance of supporting children in their use of electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, and televisions. The Ministry of Children, Development, Gender, Women, and Social Good (MoCDGWSG) also organized training sessions for editors and journalists to raise awareness about the various online abuses that children face.  The launch event featured political and religious leaders, experts in child online protection, representatives from civil society, UN agencies, parents, children, teachers, and other community members. Throughout the event, speeches and songs were broadcast, emphasizing the key message of protecting children online.

What do we want to achieve with this campaign?

The campaign aims to help children, parents, teachers, community members, and local government officials understand both the opportunities and risks that the internet presents for children. We want to raise awareness about the importance of online safety and provide guidance on how to ensure children are safe while using the internet.

What activities will be done during this campaign?

During this campaign, we will.

• Conduct school visits to educate pupils, students, and teachers about child online abuses and protection measures.
• Train government officials at the Regional and LGA level on child online protection
• Involve local radio presenters in broadcasting key messages about child online protection.

Slogan:

.Protecting Children Online is Everyone’s Responsibility: Take Action