Empowering Girls Through Digital Citizenship for a Brighter Future
On this International Day of the Girl, we celebrate and amplify the voices of girls in Ghana and across Africa, focusing on their vision for the future. This year’s theme—Girls’ Vision for the Future—emphasizes the urgent need for action and the hope girls bring to creating a better Africa. In Gh... ...
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Protecting Children's Futures: Ethical Campaigns and Safeguarding Digital Footprints.
In a decisive move to prioritize the well-being of children, Child Online Africa, in collaboration with World Vision International - Ghana, proudly announces its firm stance against the involvement of minors in political campaigns. Under the banners of "No Child Abuse In Elections" and "Ethical Camp... ...
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Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa
As we celebrate Africa Day, we recognize the extraordinary potential and rich diversity of the children and young people of our continent. The theme for this year, "Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Qua... ...
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Africa Safer Internet Day 2024: Empowering Minds, Protecting Rights, Creating a Safer Digital Africa
Child Online Africa, in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and esteemed partners, is proud to announce the upcoming Africa Safer Internet Day 2024 scheduled for the 6th of Febru... ...
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Happy School Girl Project" Calls on Ghanaian Government to Waive Taxes on Sanitary Pads for International Day of the Girl 2023
On this significant occasion of the International Day of the Girl 2023, the "Happy School Girl Project" extends its heartfelt appreciation to the government of Ghana for its continued commitment to the welfare and empowerment of girls in the nation. This international observance offers us the per... ...
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National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Starts today
As we celebrate National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023 under the theme "Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety.” Child Online Africa (COA) is proud to emphasize the critical importance of protecting our most vulnerable online users - our children as well as their virtual valuables.
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Urgent Action Needed to Protect Children from Inappropriate Content on TV3 Date Rush
Accra, Ghana – Child Online Africa is deeply concerned about the recent incident of TV3 broadcasting inappropriate live content during the Date Rush program that has a general viewership; by extension children included. COA’s position is in alignment with the African Charter’s consideration that the... ...
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COA EMPOWERS GHANAIAN GIRLS WITH UNESCO-PRADA PROJECT
UNESCO Ghana with support from PRADA has partnered with Child Online Africa and other partners to implement a UNESCO-Prada Technology Enabled Girls Education aimed at improving girls’ school attendance and continuity of learning through digital skills and technology in selected districts in the East... ...
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7 EMPOWERING STEPS TO Make THE INTERNET BETTER
he Centre in Ghana and partners across the globe have undertaken a series of initiatives to make the internet a better place for people across Africa, especially children and young people.
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Make Online Safety A Lifestyle #NiceNetNovember
Child Online Africa welcomes you to a #NiceNetNovember. Since November 2015, Child Online Africa holds awareness and education campaign from the 1st of November through to the 30th of November with the aim of encouraging cyber hygiene dubbed Nice Net November (#NiceNetNovember). This initiative evol... ...
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ILD 2022-Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces
September 8: International Literacy Day celebration dates back to 1967, an annual event instituted by UNESCO aimed at reminding everyone about the relevance of literacy as a issue of dignity and rights for which society can advance to a more sustainable living. Literacy does not only enrich a person... ...
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Making the Internet Safer for The African Child – Africa Week of Action For COP (#AWA4COP)
The third edition of the African Telecommunication Union (ATU) and Child Online Africa (COA) Africa Week of Action for Child Online Protection (AWA4COP) is here. Running under the theme: Making the Internet Safer for the African Child, it will focus on creating awareness among African countries on h... ...
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A Recap Of Girls In ICT Day 2022
Girls in ICT day is a day set aside to motivate young girls in the country and empower them to consider careers in the growing field of ICT. The day is celebrated on the 28th of April 2022. The main goal of the girls in ICT day aims to cultivate the presence and digital skills of young women particu... ...
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ATU-COA Mark International Girls in ICT Day 2022
Girls in ICT Day is a day dedicated to drawing attention to the critical need for more girls and women in the ICT sector. The 2022 celebrations will take place on 28th April 2022 under the theme “Access and Safety”.
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Break The Bias Online (#IWD2022)
The impact of Online abuse impacts girls and women differently from men in all settings and in discussing online abuse, it is important we consider women’s lived experiences online as well as the use of abusive language that some might find distressing.
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AFRICA SAFER INTERNET DAY 2022 LAUCHED
Each year on Safer Internet Day, millions of people join forces "Together for a better internet" to inspire positive change online, raise awareness of online safety and participate in activities across the globe.
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Keeping children safe in the digital environment: The importance of protection and empowerment
The explosion of information and communication technology (ICT) has created unprecedented opportunities for children and young people to know their rights. More and more children are connecting for the first time every day, either on personal or shared devices. However, wider and more easily availab... ...
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Child Online Africa launches #NiceNetNovember 2021
To many of us, the internet has become a pivot that supports our daily activities and for others, it is an enabler and a critical tool that facilitates the smooth functioning of our lives. For most of us, the internet is part of our daily routine for keeping in touch with friends and family, working... ...
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Child Online Africa Partners The Head of State Award Scheme for 2021 Hike For the Child Online Campaign. (#OnlineSafety4Gold)
Child Online Africa (COA) in Collaboration with the Head of State Award Scheme - Ghana is set for this year’s Hike for the child online campaign which takes off on Friday, October 22, 2021. The campaign is a charity cause, an initiative to spark up discussion and support for the safety and well-bein... ...
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Child Online Africa Marks International Day of the Girl (#IDG2021)
Child Online Africa (COA) takes delight in observing the International Day of the Girl Child which is celebrated around the world on October 11 each year. This year’s event under theme: “Digital generation. Our generation” clearly reminds us, that the advocacy for girl child empowerment initiated... ...
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Community-based mechanism in Protecting Children’s Rights Online
The digital environment is becoming increasingly important across most aspects of children’s lives, including during times of crisis, as societal functions, including education, government services and commerce, progressively come to rely upon digital technologies. It affords new opportunities for t... ...
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“Our day” experience – A Child Online Protection Perspective
Child Online Africa is by this statement expressing delight and appreciation to well-wishers and philanthropists who concertedly spent some time last time last week, sharing words of encouragement and also showing other forms of good will and gestures to young Oswald for his heartwarming message to... ...
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Protecting the African Child Online
The African Telecommunication Union (ATU) and Child Online Africa (COA) will host the first ever Africa Week of Action for Child Online Protection (AWA4COP) that will focus on rallying African countries to keep the momentum and continue creating awareness on Child Online Protection in order to safeg... ...
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AFRICA DAY: AN AFRICA FIT FOR CHILDREN #LetChildrenBeChildren
Child Online Africa (COA) joins its voice with others to wish all Africans a happy Africa Liberation Day. Today, May 25, is exactly 57 years since the Organization of African Unity (OAU) now African Union was founded.
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WTISD: It Is Time Africa Is Deliberate At Child Online Protection Approaches
Children and their wellbeing within the cyberspace space should be classified among a country’s critical infrastructure and given that much attention like all others. - Awo Aidam Amenyah Communication is one of the most important aspects of our lives: and the relevance of the celebration of the W... ...
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COVID-19: Scrap CST to aid Online Studies
Child Online Africa has noted with concern the framework outlined by the Ministry of Education on Tuesday March 25, 2020 in furtherance of the President's directive to vacate all school children in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Ghanaian Children at risk: Pass Advertising Council Bill Now
Child Online Africa (COA) notes with concern the unabated violation of digital marketing/advertising standards by some companies operating in Ghana at the expense of children and young people of school going age across the country. In some cases, outdoor posters such as billboards are ‘overtly/expli... ...
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Who Takes Responsibility For Digitized Reputation ?
Child Online Africa wishes to appeal to the general public as well as the responsible sector ministries that it is imperative that somebody owns up to do the proper thing to help address the issue of young people being caught in mistakes which are not easy to erase for sharing their lives online
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Ejisuman Senior High Video: A Case for Digital Citizenship
Child Online Africa has noted with surprise the decision arrived at by authorities of Ejisuman Senior High School acting on behalf of the Ghana Education Service in relation to the 7 students who were expelled from the boarding facility of the school on grounds that the accused were using a mobile p... ...
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We’ll Sue You – Child-Focused Advocates to Protection Services
The Executive Director of Child Online Africa, an organisation working to ensure that young people in Ghana are able to use technology and the internet safely and responsibly, Awo Aidam Amenyah has said child-focused organisations will soon begin a class action against institutions which do not work... ...
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You Need Your Child’s Say-So to Post Their Picture Online – Advocate
The Executive Director of Child Online Africa, Awo Aidam Amenyah has called on parents and guardians to seek the consent of their children first before posting their images on social media. At a day’s training for selected journalists on online safety for children organised by Child Online Africa... ...
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Child Online Africa Partners AF Academy to Train Journalists
CHILD ONLINE AFRICA and AF ACADEMY have announced a collaborative effort to train Ghanaian journalists about online safety for vulnerable groups. The training for some selected journalists from media houses in Ghana is expected to take place this year.
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Ghana: Child Online Africa Launches Digital Literacy Week
Accra, Ghana, July 10, 2019//- Digital literacy is the set of competencies required for all persons regardless of age and social status to be able to participate in the 21st Century knowledge society.
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It’s Time to #ChangeDirection on Mental Health
The World Economic Forum estimates that mental illnesses will account for more than half of the economic burden of disease over the next two decades – more than cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases combined. In high-income countries, more than 35% of people with mental disorders receive... ...
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Safeguard The Rights of Children Now!
It is not easy to define “violence” or ‘abuse’ against children because children’s rights is violated in so many different ways depending on the context and culture. Children may suffer physical, emotional or sexual abuse and their rights may be violated through social media/Internet, in a family, a... ...
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“Trusted Smart Products” – Children Are Consumers #WCRD2019
Today is World Consumer Rights Day and at Child Online Africa; we are focusing on the five keys to building trust with children and young people in their choice and use of connected devices. Like we all know; smart products are connected to the internet and they receive, collect and send data. Accor... ...
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African Union Moves to Promote Child Online Safety
Child Online Africa and World Vision International -Ghana are pleased to announce a significant progress on the call on African leaders to consider Child Online Protection and give it the needed action. This call with the hashtag #OnlineSafety4Agenda2040 which was made in June 2018, has culminated i... ...
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Slash off 20% Tax on Sanitary Pads to Ensure Balance-for-Better.
The award winning writer Vera Narzarian once said; “A woman is human.She is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less’’. The existence of male supremacy and female inferiority however is the sad reality in most societ... ...
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How To React To Harmful Online Content
It is worrying to note that most people especially parents have been alarmed at the Momo Challenge on YouTube. Two weeks ago we published an article about the importance of the 21st Century Digital Literacy skills which includes News Literacy: ability to determine between fact and fiction and not... ...
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Reading For Progress: Text vrs Digital?
One of the five pillars of the Year of Reading concept being promoted by the Ghana Library Authority is LITERACY. The Oxford dictionary defines literacy as the ability to read and write. The key to literacy is reading development, a progression of skills which begins with the ability to understand... ...
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Child Online Africa Supports GHLA To Promote Online Safety Among Children
Child Online Africa, a child focused non-governmental organization has donated about 800 online safety booklets to Ghana Library Authority. This forms parts of efforts to promote the awareness of online safety and privacy among children.
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Keep Your Online Profiles Anonymous
The Internet is increasingly becoming a dangerous place for children and young people whose online profiles often attract sexual predators, scammers and pedophiles, a reason for which Child Online Africa - COA promotes child protection, child wellbeing and digital literacy.
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J Initiative Launches New Identity
Child online safety advocacy organization, J Initiative has changed its identity to Child Online Africa (COA). The change is to reflect its continental focus and multi-country agenda, as well as to reflect the growing demand and interest in its services in the area of child online protection, child... ...
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Tax on Sanitary Pad is Violence Against Girls
“We must remain committed to preserving the rights and dignity of our adolescent girls because ignoring their menstrual hygiene needs is a violation of their rights: leaders need to find practical, holistic and cost-effective solutions that would ensure even the least fortunate have access to clean... ...
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Make Sanitary Pads Zero Tax
“We must remain committed to preserving the rights and dignity of our adolescent girls because ignoring their menstrual hygiene needs is a violation of their rights: leaders need to find practical, holistic and cost-effective solutions that would ensure even the least fortunate have access to clean... ...
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Child Online Safety Update From Facebook
Our mission is to build partnership with individuals and organizations if possible to bring about the desired result in the interest of children and young people. We are excited to bring to the notice of the general public updates on child safety from FACEBOOK in ensuring that young people of the ri... ...
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Impact of Bad Menstrual Hygiene Practices on Girls' Education
Menstruation is still seen as an embarrassing, shameful, and dirty process in most parts of the world, especially Africa. There are many taboos around this natural phenomenon which leave most adolescent girls unprepared for their periods and misinformed on how to manage them.
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The Irony of Data Privacy in Ghana
Data privacy, also referred to as information privacy, is the aspect of information technology (IT) that deals with the preparedness of an organization or individual to decide what data about him/her in a computer system can be shared with third parties.
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J Initiative Pledges to Support National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2018 as a Champion
[Oct 1-31st] — J Initiative (JI) has become a Champion of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2018.From today JI has joined a growing global effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals to promote the awaren... ...
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AU Commission Needs To Do More On Child Online Protection & Safety
The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child mandates States “… to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.” Although this Charter was adopted since 1990, Africa has fallen quite short of this goal. Child Online abuse pervades all States on the continent... ...
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Attitudinal Change Towards MHM: The Way Forward for Ghana
“Empowering women and girls for a good menstrual hygiene” is the theme for the menstrual hygiene day 2018. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is one of the focus areas of J Initiative’s programmes dubbed the Happy School Girl Project (HSGP). The UN believes 1 in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss s... ...
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Child Protection in Ghana: Much Ado About Nothing?
After years of advocacy in child online protection, it has become pretty obvious that a lot of people do not see its relevance in child well-being. It has also become so clear that adults in general are ignoring the consequences and the downsides actions and innovations by them have on children and... ...
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