The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the GSMA have officially launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), marking the continent’s first multi-stakeholder platform dedicated to safeguarding children’s safety, rights, and well-being in the digital age.
This pioneering effort aims to coordinate and advance child online protection across Africa, bolstering national and regional capacities to shield young users from escalating digital risks amid the continent’s rapid technological growth, with the task force set to foster collaboration among mobile industry leaders, tech innovators, regulatory bodies, law enforcement, and civil society to implement robust safety frameworks.
The launch builds on the GSMA’s June 2025 white paper, “Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa,” co-developed with UNICEF and regional partners, which highlighted the urgent need for collective action to address threats such as cyberbullying, exploitation, misinformation, and harmful content as more African children go online at a globally unprecedented pace. With Africa’s mobile-first landscape, rapid AI advancements, and a burgeoning youth population presenting both opportunities and challenges, the task force responds to a critical call for an African-led approach to digital safety.
UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, emphasized the urgency, stating, “As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first; the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth.”
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Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy at GSMA Africa, added, “The Taskforce marks an important step from strategy to action, turning the whitepaper’s recommendations into tangible regional progress; by working alongside UNICEF, governments, industry, and youth representatives, we aim to embed safety into Africa’s digital transformation journey and ensure children’s voices shape the policies that define their future.”
The taskforce unites a formidable coalition of partners, including Axian Telecom, Child Helpline International, INTERPOL, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Internet Watch Foundation, MTN Group, MtotoNews, Orange, Paramount Africa, Safaricom, Vodacom Group, and youth representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda, with 19-year-old Jemima Kasongo among the young advocates who shaped the whitepaper and will continue to influence the taskforce’s direction.
This inclusive approach ensures that the perspectives of Africa’s next generation remain at the heart of efforts to strengthen digital governance and promote safety-by-design principles, positioning the continent as a potential global leader in child-centered digital policies as the initiative rolls out its strategic roadmap in the coming months.
