UNICEF and the GSMA have launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection, the first dedicated continental mechanism to coordinate and implement safeguards for children in the digital environment across Africa.
The platform was unveiled at MWC25 Kigali and is designed to consolidate efforts across governments, industry, law enforcement, and civil society as Africa’s child internet adoption accelerates. The taskforce brings together mobile operators, technology companies, regulators, civil society organizations, and youth representatives to address rising online risks.
The launch operationalizes a key recommendation from the GSMA’s June 2025 whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub Saharan Africa, developed with UNICEF and regional partners. The report warned that as Africa records one of the fastest rates of child connectivity globally, risks ranging from cyberbullying and sexual exploitation to misinformation and harmful content are rising in parallel.
Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, stated 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.
The taskforce will coordinate actors across the mobile and tech industry, regulators, law enforcement, and civil society to drive implementation of existing African policy frameworks, improve cross border cooperation, and embed safety by design in digital products and services. Youth will hold a formal place within the structure, continuing the role they played in consultations for the whitepaper.
Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy at GSMA Africa, said the taskforce marks an important step from strategy to action, turning the whitepaper’s recommendations into tangible regional progress. She added that by working in partnership, Africa can be positioned as a global leader in child centered digital governance.
Founding participants include Axian Telecom, Child Helpline International, INTERPOL, ICMEC, Internet Watch Foundation, MTN Group, MtotoNews, Orange, Paramount Africa, Safaricom, Vodacom Group, and youth representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda.
