Accra, Ghana November 17, 2025 As global leaders assemble in South Africa for the G20 Summit under the presidency of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Child Online Africa (COA) is issuing a clarion call: the time has come to establish a continental Africa eSafety Commission a unified body to safeguard children, women, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups in our rapidly digitalizing world

Why Africa Needs an eSafety Commission and Why Now

1.Growing Digital Risk Meets Fragmented Protection.
While Africa leads the way  becoming the first continent in the world to adopt an African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy implementation remains fragmented, and online harm continues to surge. (African Union)

COA’s own work has revealed persistent gaps: from limited capacity in frontline institutions to uneven legal and regulatory frameworks that struggle to cope with cross-border online abuse. (CIPESA) At the same time, our advocacy has helped shape continental policy, but without a dedicated enforcement body, these frameworks risk remaining paper promises.

2. Proven Impact, Proven Need.
Over the years, COA has scaled interventions across more than a dozen African countries more than 500 programmes to date. (childonlineafrica.org) We have trained over 2,000 teachers, educated more than 70 young people through our Africa Digital Leaders fellowship, and reached tens of thousands of girls and women through our Happy School Girl programme. (childonlineafrica.org)

Our resource center including the “Online Safety Activity Book,” guides for families, and tools for detecting and preventing grooming is freely available to communities across the continent. (toolkits.childonlineafrica.org)

Beyond training and awareness, COA has driven advocacy at the highest levels. Through our Africa Week of Action for Child Online Protection (AWA4COP), held in partnership with the African Telecommunications Union, we unite governments, civil society, children, and the private sector to spotlight child online protection. (childonlineafrica.org)

One of COA’s signature interventions Hike4theChildOnline inspired by a successful OnlineSafety4Agenda2040 saw our founder climb Mount Kilimanjaro to highlight the urgent need for digital safety. (childonlineafrica.org)

3. A Continental Commission Is the Missing Piece.

• The African Union policy itself calls for institutional capacity, harmonized regulation, public awareness, and cross-border cooperation. 
• But policies alone are not sufficient. What is missing is an independent continental body with real teeth: one that can investigate abuses, require take-downs, coordinate law enforcement, and hold tech companies accountable.
• Such a body would not only protect children but also extend its mandate to other at-risk populations: women facing online harassment and gender-based violence, older adults targeted by scams and misinformation, persons with disabilities, and people in fragile digital settings who lack local protections. 
  
  

A Critical Moment: The G20 Summit in South Africa

As President Ramaphosa chairs the G20, he has a historic opportunity to elevate digital safety to a primary agenda item. COA calls on:

• President Cyril Ramaphosa (G20 Chair) to champion the formal launch and funding of the Africa eSafety Commission.
• The African Union (AU) to fast-track adoption of its Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy by establishing the Commission under its institutional structures. (African Union)
• Regional Economic Communities (RECs), including ECOWAS, SADC, and the East African Community, to endorse, resource, and operationalize the Commission at regional levels.
• Civil society organizations, youth leaders, and advocacy groups to mobilize around #AfricaESafetyNow, ensuring public pressure and multi-stakeholder ownership.

An Africa eSafety Commission could:

1. Set Continental Standards: Harmonize policies for digital safety, digital rights, and online harm prevention across African Union (AU) member states.
2. Monitor & Enforce: Investigate complaints, coordinate with law enforcement and tech platforms, and drive takedown of harmful content.
3. Educate & Empower: Build capacity through training, awareness campaigns, and community outreach, including for women and the elderly.
4. Collaborate Globally: Learn from established models such as Australia’s eSafety Commissioner and replicate proven mechanisms for reporting, enforcement, and recovery.
5. Advocate for Inclusion: Ensure digital safety is integrated into the AU’s Agenda 2063 and regional development agendas within ECOWAS, SADC, the East African Community, and more.

A Call to Action: To G20, the African Union, and Regional Blocs

To President Cyril Ramaphosa (G20 Chair):

• Champion the Africa eSafety Commission as a flagship initiative of the G20 Summit.
• Use the platform to rally global support, including technical and financial backing for its establishment and operation.

To the African Union:

• Official mandate for an Africa eSafety Commission, backed by the AU and African heads of state.
• Prioritize the Commission in the AU’s Agenda 2063, embedding it into continental development frameworks.
• Facilitate a multi-stakeholder process including governments, civil society, women, children, elderly and survivors, to define its mandate, structure, and funding.

To Regional Economic Communities (ECOWAS, SADC, EAC, etc.):

• Adopt regional policies that mirror the Commission’s vision, enabling coordinated enforcement and cross-border cooperation.
• Commit resources: human, technical, and financial to build national capacity for reporting, investigation, and response.

A Vision for a Safer Digital Africa

We envision an Africa where no child is groomed, no woman is harassed, no elderly person is defrauded, and no vulnerable community is exploited online. By establishing the Africa eSafety Commission now, we can turn that vision into reality rooted in African leadership, African policy, and African innovation.

As we call on global and continental leaders to act, we urge every stakeholder: governments, tech companies, civil society, and citizens to unite around the rallying cry: #AfricaESafetyNow.

About Child Online Africa
Child Online Africa (COA) is a Ghana-based non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting online safety, well-being, and digital literacy for children, young people, and their communities across the African continent. Through research, advocacy, and innovative programmes from menstrual hygiene education to digital leadership training COA empowers African youth to navigate the internet safely and confidently. (childonlineafrica.org)