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Safer Internet Day

Internet Safer Day Nepal

Safer Internet Day Want to Talk About it?

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6th February 2023, Kathmandu

Safer Internet Day 2023 is being celebrated on Tuesday, 7 February 2023, around the globe with the theme ‘Want to talk about it? 

Making space for conversations about life online.

Safer Internet Day is celebrated in February each year to promote the safer and more positive use of digital technology for children and young people and to inspire a national conversation.

It calls upon young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, and policymakers to join together in helping to create a better internet.

As the Safer Internet Day national secretariat, ChildSafeNet, a specialized organization working to protect children and young people online, has been coordinating and promoting Safer Internet Day in Nepal.

 “The day offers the opportunity to highlight positive uses of technology and explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online environment for children and young people.

Children and young people have the same right to be protected online as they have the right to be protected offline.”, says Anil Raghuvanshi, Founder/President of ChildSafeNet.

As children and young people are heavy users of technology, unsafe use of the internet exposes them to serious harm, such as online sexual abuse & exploitation, cyberbullying, cyber grooming, phishing, and sextortion. Parental influence, guidance, and education have the potential to empower children to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.

Therefore, Raghuvanshi urged the parents, government, schools, private sector, media, NGOs, and all duty-bearers to take timely and adequate actions to protect children online. Therefore, we need to work together for a safer and better internet.

There has been a tremendous increase in online child sexual abuse and exploitation globally. According to the US-based organization, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, there were 63,266 CyberTipline reports (suspected reports of online child sexual exploitation imagery) from Nepal in 2019. In 2021, CyberTipline reports from Nepal increased to 263,130, which is a 415% increase. Moreover, according to a ChildSafeNet and UNICEF study, one in two boys or young men and one in three girls or young women are exposed to sexual content online, despite the government-imposed ban on pornographic sites in Nepal.

 Although Safer Internet Day 2023 is on 7 February, online safety awareness activities will be conducted throughout the year. ChildSafeNet and its partners will conduct online safety awareness sessions in different parts of the country.

More than 35 organizations, including UN agencies, INGOs, NGOs, CBOS, the private sector, and media houses, have expressed solidarity with the Safer Internet Day in Nepal.

Furthermore, ChildSafeNet and its partner organizations, Child Development Society, World Vision International Nepal, Child Fund Japan, Digital Broadcast Initiative Equal Access, Veda Creation Society, and Love Green Nepal, conduct online safety awareness activities, including online and offline events, radio and TV programs, children and young people’s interactions, essay competitions, screening of videos and quiz contests.

Besides organizations working on children’s issues, including CWIN Nepal, Umbrella Organisation, and Voice of Children, will be conducting online safety awareness programs.

Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day 2021 is Celebrated in Nepal

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28 January 2021, Kathmandu

The Safer Internet Day 2021 will be celebrated on 9 February 2021 in Nepal and over 170 countries to promote a safer internet for children and young people with a theme, “Together for a better Internet” to raise awareness on online risks for children and young people and in protecting children and young people online.

ChildSafeNet, a specialized organization working to protect children and young people online, has been hosting and promoting the day in Nepal since 2019. Every year, the Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people and develop synergy among organizations working with and for children.

According to Anil Raghuvanshi, founder/president of ChildSafeNet, a National Coordination Committee has been formed to promote the Safer Internet Day 2021 in Nepal. The Committee is composed of ChildSafeNet as the secretariat, and Nepal Police Cyber Bureau, UNICEF, Plan International Nepal, Yuwalaya, CWIN-Nepal, Saathi, ActionAid Nepal, Veda Creative Organization, Loo Niva Child Concern Group, Umbrella Organization Nepal, and Child Watabaran Center as the members.

Raghuvanshi said, “This day also provides the government, police, and law practitioners an opportunity to reinforce the implementation of the cyber safety policy and enhance legal protection, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Child rights organizations are planning to organize cyber safety awareness activities to promote a safer and better internet for children and young people, which include production and dissemination of appeal videos, podcasts, YouTube vlogs, social media posts, digital posters, and other child-friendly multimedia communication materials. Besides, cyber safety training sessions, panel discussions with cyber safety and child rights workers, parents, children, and young people are planned. Although the main event will be organized on 9 February 2021, cyber safety awareness-raising activities will be conducted throughout the year.

On behalf of the Committee, ChildSafeNet appealed to children, young people, parents, schools, colleges, government, police, law practitioners, private sector, private sector, NGOs, INGOs, UN agencies, media, and other duty-bearers to promote and support the Safer Internet Day 2021 and make the internet a safer and a better place for children and young people.