The GSMA released a new white paper on Monday calling for stakeholders in the mobile sector, including governments and regulators, industry, civil society, and youth, to support stronger protections for children online across Africa.
According to the GSMA, the whitepaper, "Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa", builds on insights from a roundtable during the Ministerial Programme at MWC 2025 in Barcelona earlier this year.
It also aligns with a 2019 report from the GSMA and UNICEF that looks at ways to advance the rights of children as described in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) via mobile service access.
The new whitepaper integrates regional data, including findings from IPSOS research commissioned by MTN Group, as well as insights from youth advocate Jemima Kasongo, 19, from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The paper outlines key recommendations for stakeholders to create a safer digital environment for children, including child- and youth-centred approaches in policy and programme development, strengthening national frameworks in line with the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Strategy, expanding digital literacy and awareness initiatives for children, parents, and educators, and building stronger public-private partnerships to scale resources, tools, and services across the region.
“Protecting children online is a responsibility shared across governments, industry, civil society, and families,” said Angela Wamola, head of Sub-Saharan Africa at the GSMA, in a statement. “By working together, we can ensure the digital environment becomes a place of opportunity – not risk – for Africa’s children.”
“Children and young people under 18 make up half of Africa’s population,” added Nankali Maksud, regional advisor for child protection at UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa. “Protecting their safety online is not only about safeguarding rights, but about investing in Africa’s human capital and future leadership.”
