Namibia Confronts Rise in Child Sexual Abuse on Social Media
The African Child Policy Forum(ACPF) in a report titled ‘Shocking Rise Across Africa in Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse’ revealed that about one-fifth of children below the age of 17 have been solicited to talk about sex on social media.
Joan Nyanyuki, the forum’s executive director reported that the problem is highly on the rise in Africa. Evidence shows that more than 60% of the victims who remain unidentified were young children including toddlers and infants.
Shoki Kandjimi, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology spokesperson shared that the ministry is working on a bill to criminalise acts in the digital environment even those that are against children.
He shared, “The government has further developed the cybersecurity strategy and awareness-raising plan, which aim to sensitise citizens to the dangers of cybercrime and the importance of cybersecurity,”
Shoki says a portal that reports child sexual abuse material was launched in Namibia through a collaboration between the government, the Internet Watch Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund and Child Line.
“This portal allows anyone to anonymously report digital abusive materials affecting children with the view of combating cybercrime towards them. Once found offensive, the material is taken down from online platforms,” he says.
At the beginning of this month, the Namibian delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner included Doreen Sioka, the minister of gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare.
According to Sioka, about 9% of children were allegedly victims of sexual abuse with twenty thousand victims being assaulted or attacked on social media.
The Namibian delegation consisted of representatives from the gender ministry, the Ministry of Justice, and representatives and other staff of Namibia’s permanent mission to the United Nations office in Geneva.
The experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child commended the children’s parliament and asked the delegation about measures in place to address baby dumping and the online sexual abuse of children in Namibia.
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