The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) together with relevant stakeholders have launched the National Child Online Protection (COP) Framework in Accra. Developed in alignment with the initiatives of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNICEF, the framework is designed to provide a safe and empowering online experience for children across our nation. The framework encapsulates a comprehensive approach, recognising the diverse aspects of online safety and addressing the unique challenges children face in the digital landscape. The Second Lady, Mrs Hajia Samira Bawumia said the framework was urgently needed to protect children in the digital world through a multi-faceted approach, focusing on awareness and education to help children, parents, and educators recognise and manage online risks. She said the internet had become a tool of empowerment and development, allowing children to learn, connect, and grow in ways that were unimaginable. The Second Lady said, however, alongside these benefits, the internet had also become a landscape fraught with risks that threatened the innocence, security, and well-being of youngest and most vulnerable citizens. She said these days, children are exposed to dangers such as cyberbullying, exploitation, exposure to harmful content, and the increasingly sophisticated tactics of online predators. Hajia Bawumia said in 2022, a CyberTipline Report revealed that around 22,000 instances of child sexual abuse material were accessed, shared, or generated in Ghana, representing a notable portion of the 32,059,029 cases reported worldwide. 'Furthermore, the Global Online Safety Survey conducted by Microsoft reveals a troubling reality: 49 per cent of teenagers have experienced medium to severe negative online encounters,' she added. The Second Lady said with the advent of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and accelerated internet penetration, it was essential to effectively safeguard the cyber ecosystem to ensure that citizens could fully enjoy the benefits of digitalisation. She said the Government of Ghana prioritised digitalisation and cybersecurity, with a key focus on enhancing digital literacy among young people to ensure they become informed and responsible technology users, not just consumers. Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, the Director-General, CSA, said Ghana's cybersecurity development improved from 32.36 per cent in 2017 to 99.27 per cent in 2024, achieving a tier-1 ranking and being recognised as a role model country in the Global Cybersecurity Index by the ITU. The Director-General said the rapid emergence and advancement of technologies highlighted the rapidly evolving nature of the digital era, and that while these advancements offered significant benefits, they also presented substantial threats, especially to children. He said over the past decade, children and young adults have consistently been the most active group online, such that according to Statista, as of January 2024, approximately 24.06 million Ghanaians were connected to the internet , with 7.60 million active social media users. Dr Antwi-Boasiako said the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported that the most common platforms used to host child sexual abuse materials were social media platforms, followed by file-sharing sites and image-sharing sites. 'Such exposure to cyberthreats can inflict psychological trauma on young users, potentially having long-lasting effects on their lives,' he added. He said in 2022, the COP Division of the CSA surveyed selected senior high schools in the Greater Accra region, aiming to collect information about the online habits, risks, and vulnerabilities of students using the internet. The Director-General said key findings of the survey established that 64.35 per cent of the students reported receiving pornographic materials in various forms, including images, words, and videos. He said all these data reflected the need for effective interventions by the state and relevant stakeholders to protect children and young adults from harmful materials while upholding their rights to access information. Dr Antwi-Boasiako said the adoption of the regulations on COP would also be completed by the end of the year to support the Authority with its mandate to implement Sections 62-66 and other relevant sections of the Cybersecurity Act 2020. Source: Ghana News Agency