The End Violence Partnership has announced a $15 million grant for 18 projects focused on strengthening systems to make children in Africa and other parts of the digital world safe.

Through the Safe Online Initiative, the platform aims to fund the projects tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA).

It is understood that some of the projects will be implemented in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Namibia and South Africa.

‘Our new grantees are working to strengthen national efforts to end violence against children; and engage parents and care-givers to ensure a safe online experience for children. At the global level, we are investing in projects that create, adapt and scale technologies to deter online violence against children’, End Violence Partnership said in a statement.

‘The technological solutions being developed incorporate artificial intelligence, machine learning and more to detect, prevent and report online child sexual abuse and exploitation and child sexual abuse materials’.

The End Violence Partnership noted that the new grantees – including Child Fund International Safe CLICS project in Kenya, Childline Zimbabwe, UNICEF Ethiopia, UNICEF Kenya, UNICEF Madagascar, UNICEF Namibia, and UNICEF South Africa – are expected to build stronger systems and solutions to make the digital world safe for children.

A 2021 report from the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) shows that between five and 13 percent of internet-using children, aged 12 to 17, reported experiencing OCSEA in Kenya. However, it is believed that this number is likely higher as many children do not talk about their experiences.

In 2021, the UN reported that one third of children in South Africa were at risk of online violence, exploitation and abuse.

Source: End Violence Partnership

Photo source: GNRC