MWC25 Kigali: UNICEF and GSMA launch Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection

UNICEF and the GSMA have launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), a first-of-its-kind multi-stakeholder platform designed to strengthen children’s safety, rights, and wellbeing in the digital age. The initiative was officially unveiled during the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC25) in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Taskforce will coordinate and advance child online protection efforts across Africa, building national and regional capacity to safeguard children in an increasingly digital world. It follows the release of the GSMA’s June 2025 whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed in partnership with UNICEF and regional stakeholders, which called for stronger collaboration among governments, industry, and civil society to create safer online environments for children.

With Africa recording one of the fastest rates of internet adoption among children globally, the risks of cyberbullying, exploitation, misinformation, and exposure to harmful content have also increased. The Taskforce aims to address these challenges by promoting an African-led approach to digital safety that reflects the continent’s diverse realities and rapid technological growth.

“As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first,” said Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. “The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth.”

Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy at GSMA Africa, emphasized that the initiative moves from “strategy to action,” turning research insights into real-world impact. “By working alongside UNICEF, governments, industry, and youth representatives, we aim to embed safety into Africa’s digital transformation journey and ensure children’s voices shape the policies that define their future,” she stated.

The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection brings together an extensive coalition of partners, including Axian Telecom, Child Helpline International, INTERPOL, the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), Internet Watch Foundation, MTN Group, MtotoNews, Orange, Paramount Africa, Safaricom, Vodacom, and youth representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda.

Youth advocates who participated in the whitepaper consultations, such as 19-year-old Jemima Kasongo, will play a key role in the Taskforce’s ongoing work to ensure the perspectives of Africa’s young people remain at the centre of digital safety policy development.

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye