UNICEF and the GSM Association (GSMA) have announced the launch of the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), the first of its kind on the continent. The initiative aims to strengthen children’s safety, rights, and wellbeing in the digital age, addressing the growing risks faced by young internet users across Africa.
Unveiled during MWC25 Kigali, the Taskforce will act as a multi-stakeholder platform to coordinate and advance child online protection initiatives across the region. It will also help build national and regional capacities to keep children safe as they increasingly engage with digital technologies.
Driving Action from Strategy to Implementation
The launch follows the release of the GSMA’s June 2025 whitepaper, “Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa,” developed in collaboration with UNICEF and regional partners. The whitepaper called for stronger multi-sectoral action, from governments, private industry, civil society, and youth, to create safer online environments for children.
As Africa’s youth population continues to grow and more children come online at one of the fastest rates globally, concerns around cyberbullying, exploitation, misinformation, and harmful content have intensified. The continent’s mobile-first ecosystem and rapid technological evolution, particularly with Artificial Intelligence (AI), make a coordinated, homegrown approach to digital child safety more crucial than ever.
A Unified African Response
“As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first,”
said Etleva Kadilli, Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, UNICEF.
“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. By uniting governments, partners, and young people, we can make safety the foundation of Africa’s digital future.”
The Taskforce brings together partners from across the mobile and technology industries, regulatory bodies, law enforcement, and civil society to promote collaboration and implement existing regional child protection frameworks.
“The Taskforce marks an important step from strategy to action, turning the whitepaper’s recommendations into tangible regional progress,”
said Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy, GSMA Africa.
“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.”
Broad Coalition of Partners
The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection includes a diverse coalition of organizations such as 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 contributed to the whitepaper, including 19-year-old Jemima Kasongo, will continue to play active roles through the Taskforce, ensuring that the perspectives of Africa’s next generation remain central to shaping a safer digital future.
About the Taskforce
The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is the continent’s first coordinated regional platform dedicated to building child-centred digital governance frameworks, promoting safety by design, and ensuring inclusive participation of young people in policymaking. It represents a major step toward positioning Africa as a global leader in digital child safety.
