Civil Society Organizations, parents, children together with officials from Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development met at Uganda Media Women’s Association Offices and held a press conference to address the urgent need for protection of children in Uganda in online spaces.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) reported in 2024 that increased smartphone access and
affordable internet data packages are fuelling this digital engagement; yet child protection mechanisms have
not kept pace.
A recent global report by Safe Online (July 2025) reveals that two images or videos of child sexual abuse are
shared online every second. In 2024 alone, 26,800 cases of online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
(OCSEA) were reported, with 6,800 child victims identified. Alarmingly, only 31% of victims recognized danger
during initial contact, highlighting widespread digital naivety and vulnerability.
Hadijah Nabulya Mwanje, the Executive Director of High Sound For Children spoke on the dangers children are facing online. She highlighted online sexual exploitation, cyber-bulling, body shaming are some of the common dangers children face as they navigate online platforms.
Call to Government
Hope Nankunda, Executive Director of Raising Teenagers Uganda urged Government to adopt a National Child Online Safety Strategy aligned to the AU framework, with defined roles, budget lines, and annual targets. She further emphasized the need for engaging telecom and digital services providers to enforce child impact assesements.
Call To Parents and Caregivers
Mr Victor from Texel Health Foundation urged parents to get digitally literate. Parents should be aware of privacy settings, reporting tools and signs of online harm. He also urged parents to been keen to detect any form of mood change by their children that could be triggered by excessive use of digital gadgets.
Call to Children & Young People
Children were urged to
Protect your privacy: use strong passwords; avoid sharing personal details or intimate images;
remember, once online—always online.
- Be kind and alert: don’t bully; report threats or inappropriate content to a trusted adult or platform;
block and report suspicious users. - Know your rights: your images and personal data belong to you—no one should share them without
consent.
Call to Civil Society & Child Rights Organizations.
Civil Society organizations were urged to conduct community training and awareness to equip parents, teachers and local leaders with practical tools for online safety and response. This was emphasized by Tumwine Edward, a digital skills trainer with Center For Media Literacy & Community Development. (CEMCOD)
Message from Government.
Remarks from Mr Mondo Kyateka, Assistant Commissioner for Youth and Children at the Ministry Of Gender, Labour and Social Development highlighted the need for parents to adhere to proper parenting that has dwindled these days. ‘Many parents have become Internally Displaced Parents and leave the care of their children only in the hands of househelps’ He reteriated that this is something affecting children because they have no control over what their children access.
Message from Uganda Police
SP Innocent Agaba, representing the Uganda Police Force, mentioned that parents provide the first layer of care and protection before the police gets involved. It’s therefore parents are very aware and inlvolved with how their children use digital platforms. She stated that Uganda Police has toll free line and is always ready to assist with cases of online cyber harrassement of children.
Message from Mental Health Specialist
Gift Nakayinga, founder of Tekel Health Foundation urged parents to monitor the mental health of their children especially those with excessive gadget use. May children’s well being is affected by the cintent they consume and it’s important to notice change in patterns, mood and behaviour.
Ekitimba Unpacked
Enroll your child for a two day training for children on how they can stay safe as they navigate online platforms.
