It is clear that applying child protection practices have far-reaching benefits for individuals, families, communities, society and the nation as a whole. Prioritizing the rights and well-being of children in turn can create a just, equitable and prosperous society. Depending on the context, culture and legal framework of every country, child protection practices may vary from country to country all over the world.
In this globalized world where the internet has brought the whole world into a single village, children are seen spending more time on online platforms than ever. For this reason they are exposed to cyber-bullying, peer to peer violence and online abuses. In cognizant of this fact nations are seen mobilizing their resources and knowledge to minimize the undesirable impacts of the platforms and ensure children protection through devising policies, and strategies and legal measures as well.
Ethiopia is no exception to this. Seeing the impact of the internet on children, the country is doing its level best to minimize the danger of internet related risks. According to the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ethiopia has made some progress in strengthening child protection systems and since recent years, a number of attempts have been made to create a safer environment and build a more equitable society.
However, that does not mean that everything is going smoothly and there are no gaps that need to be filled so as to protect children’s rights-including online abuses. Regarding this issue, State Minister of Women and Social Affairs, Alemitu Umut told ENA that the Ministry is working in partnership with UNICEF to protect children from online abuses countrywide.
According to her, the Ministry together with stakeholders is working aggressively to protect the rights of children from all forms of internet related risks. This includes strengthening network with both international organizations and regional governments. “We have plans to work with UNICEF on child abuse. We are also working with the states to organize and build networks to protect the rights of children. This includes creating awareness to enable children 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 to online abuses and exploitation. “If everyone is aware of how to use the internet, I think every child will be protected from cyber and child abuse and online exploitations.” The Ministry has recently established a technical working group drawn from concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations to coordinate interventions on the use of online platforms among children and protect their 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 across the country. Relatively, Ethiopia has a strong legal framework for child protection, but there are gaps in implementing and enforcing the set laws effectively and accordingly. There must be sustained effort in reinforcing the legal and policy framework in a bid to ensure that children’s rights are protected and make the perpetrators accountable.
Seconding the view of Alemitu, Addis Ababa City Administration Children and Women Bureau, Child Right Protection and Welfare Team Leader, Ananya Yacob, told The Ethiopian Herald that strengthening child protection systems in Ethiopia requires a multifaceted approach to address the various factors that contribute to child vulnerability and abuse. He said that protecting children from online exploitation is a complex issue that demands a multi-faceted approach. In this regard, the Bureau is working with pertinent stakeholders to manage it.
The government using all the available resources is also exerting energy to ensure the rights of children though more efforts should be in place, as to him. “Governments should develop and enforce laws that protect children from online exploitation, including laws against child abuse and child trafficking. These laws should be regularly reviewed and updated to keep pace with changes in technology and online behavior.
The Bureau is working to curb child vulnerability and abuse through collaboration with 30 civic social organizations and other public institutions.” He further noted that child protection practices are vital to prevent child abuse. The Bureau promotes positive parenting practices, educates and sensitizes parents and caregivers about the risks of abuse, and providing support to families in need.
“Addis Ababa has three orphanage centers in the city, which we could let children get sustainable protection and support. We also facilitate ways for children living with families yet unable to get basic needs. We let them get some kind of support from civic society organizations and individuals in the community.” According to him, the Bureau is responsible for collecting the profile of children’s data and sending them to the civic society organization to help them.
Addis Ababa is ushering quite a huge number of vulnerable children for various reasons. To curb the burden, the Bureau is working with regional states. Mentioning that there are still many vulnerable children in the waiting list, he urged partners, civic societies and public institutions to extend support in a more organized fashion to extend a helping hand.
According to him, the Bureau facilitates the local, international adoption process of children and lets the children get protection. This program is getting acceptance among the Ethiopian community and activities are carried out as per the law of the land. The Bureau also engaged in applying community based child protection; through this program the Bureau secured a grant of two thousand birr per month and covered food expenses for 29 vulnerable children.
“The community-based child protection approach is more productive than other approaches, so it is high time to practice it amongst the communities. Children could get psychological support and develop an identity that could help them in establishing stable personality, The Bureau is also planning to scale up this approach in all parts of the city in a more organized fashion, he underlined. 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.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 30 JUNE 2023
