Page 15 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

FULFILLING NATIONAL ICT VISIONS BY BUILDING TRUST IN THE INTERNET AND PROTECTING THE CONNECTED SAMENA TRENDS

steps to address the UN’s Sustainable
Development Goal 16.2 calling on ending
all forms of violence against children by
2030.”

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
adopted in 2015 and the UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child – which this year
celebrates its 30th anniversary – represent
the global commitment to a better future
for all, especially to children. Photo credit: SAMENA Telecommunications Council / Leaders’ Summit 2019
2018, the Broadband Commission Working
Group on Child Online Safety 2018,
established the Working Group for Child
Online Safety with the primary objective
to raise awareness of the online risks and
threats to children.

Global need to work together From Left to Right : UN Broadband Commissioners, Mr. Scott Gegenheimer (CEO Operations - Zain Group) and Mr.
“There is a clear and urgent global need to Bocar A BA (CEO - SAMENA Telecommunications Council)
work together to ensure that connectivity Group on Child Online Safety are welcome Safety is a topic that is of great importance
embellishes our children’s experience and valuable contributions to the global for Zain and we are committed to playing
of the world, rather than impairs it,” store of best practice, as well as serving as our key role in addressing this on a
said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director, important new inputs to ITU’s Child Online global level. Our region has conflicts and
Telecommunication Development Bureau, Protection framework.” challenges that are quite unique compared
ITU. “Today’s new report and Declaration to other places in the world as well as the
by the Broadband Commission Working Scott Gegenheimer said, “Child Online highest share of youth in the world, coupled
with a rising broadband connectivity rate.
It is imperative for organizations which are
based in the region, to be at the forefront
of the effort to protect the most vulnerable
victims both in the physical world as well
as in cyberspace.”

The Internet has already transformed
our lives at an unprecedented pace and
scale. For children in developed countries,
the digital world is the one they are born
into and live within every single day. The
internet and its associated technologies
are completely integrated into the way they
live their lives across a very broad spectrum
of activities. Governments, academia, civil
society and the private sector must invest
in and accelerate the development of
scalable solutions to address abuse and
exploitation of children online. Achieving
the SDGs for children by 2030 requires
innovation and collective action.

Broadband connectivity is a key enabler
for children’s future, as it ensures that all
children have an equal opportunity to thrive,
so that no child is left behind. It also plays
a critical role as an enabling component as
well as helping fuel the achievement of all
the Sustainable Development Goals.

15 SEPTEMBER 2019