A special discussion on developing a joint national and regional programme to protect children and young people from the risks they face in the digital environment and on social media was held at the Prime Minister’s Office on September 21, under the patronage of Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, with the participation of representatives of UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The discussion emphasised the need to implement future measures on child digital safety across three key areas.
It was agreed that these measures should focus on awareness and empowerment, the “Safety by Design” concept, and legislation and enforcement.
First, attention was focused on raising awareness among children, parents and teachers on digital literacy and safe internet use. The Digital Task Force, with the support of UNICEF, has already drafted Online Safety Guidelines for Children, and the Ministry of Education is currently taking steps to introduce these guidelines at the earliest opportunity.
The importance of the “Safety by Design” concept, which ensures that the safety and privacy of children are incorporated from the outset when designing digital platforms, was also highlighted. It was noted that, rather than engaging with global technology companies as an individual country, building regional cooperation representing a population of nearly two billion would provide a stronger foundation for advocating for a safer digital environment.
As a step towards advancing such regional cooperation, a regional conference is scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in the first half of 2027, based on a proposal by the WHO. Prior to this, a special Roundtable Dialogue, with the support of WHO and UNICEF, is also planned, bringing together the Ministries of Education; Women and Child Affairs; Justice; Public Security; Health; and Digital Economy.
Attention was also drawn to further strengthening the legal and technological measures already being implemented by the relevant government institutions. The forthcoming Roundtable Dialogue is expected to provide further guidance on the way forward in this regard.
UNICEF Representative Emma Brigham and WHO Representative Dr. Rajesh Pandav, together with other representatives, participated in the discussion.
