CREATING A
SAFE DIGITAL CHILDHOOD
FOR ALL
The digital world creates both opportunities and risks for children
Every half second, a child somewhere in the world makes their first online click, stepping into a vast digital world brimming with opportunity but also fraught with danger.
By 2035, we seek to transform the online landscape to ensure every child’s right to equitable access to technology and the skills needed to thrive as digital citizens.
THE CHALLENGES
Participation
Globally, women and girls are 23% less likely to use the mobile internet, with the gap widening to as much as 43% in South Asia.2 Fragmented services and limited digital literacy further restrict access, preventing them and other marginalized youth from safely navigating online spaces and reaching their full potential.
Protection
Inadequate safeguards against online harms affect children globally, but the Global South in particular has insufficient laws, regulations and child welfare services to address digital threats effectively, creating a disconnect between offline and online protection. While regions like Australia, the UK and the EU are taking active steps to keep children safe online, Save the Children demands that all children be equally protected, no matter where they happen to live.
Wellbeing
Children are eager to be online, yet excessive screen time is linked to a 50% increase in depression risk among adolescents.3 Despite growing awareness, digital wellbeing is often neglected, allowing harmful online environments to persist, including self-harm communities and platforms where bullying and sexual exploitation are prevalent. Underrepresented groups such as girls, LGBTQ+ communities, children with disabilities and refugees face even greater barriers to accessing support.
WHY SAVE THE CHILDREN?
After more than a century as a champion of child rights and over two decades of protecting children from digital harm, Save the Children is uniquely positioned to ensure children's rights in a digital world on a global scale. Our presence in 118 countries, reaching 105.9 million children in 2023 alone, allows us to adapt proven strategies tailored to diverse cultural contexts, ensuring significant impact and lasting change.
OUR SOLUTION
THE SAFE DIGITAL CHILDHOOD COALITION
Save the Children is launching a $50 million global effort to support digital inclusion and empower the next generation of resilient digital citizens. This ambitious initiative will focus on addressing all three of the interconnected challenges noted above: participation, protection and wellbeing.
Participation
Promoting Digital Inclusion
Access for All
Partnering with schools, communities and tech leaders, we'll break down barriers to digital inclusion by making sure the children with the fewest resources can access devices and connectivity.
Digital Skills Training
Offering targeted digital literacy and citizenship programs, we'll equip children and caregivers to succeed in the modern world.
Amplifying Youth Voices
Empowering children to advocate for their rights in the digital world, we'll ensure their voices are heard in global decision-making processes and policies that impact their lives.
Protection
Keeping Children Safe Online
Educational Outreach
Developing evidence-based campaigns, we'll raise awareness of online risks and empower children with self-protection strategies.
Collaborative Safety by Design
Providing child protection expertise, we'll help technology industry partners embed child-centric safeguards into their platforms, including methods for referring harmed children to child-friendly services and increasing the capacity of service providers.
Strengthening Response Systems
Bolstering helplines, training protection workers, ensuring a continuum of care and standardizing reporting, we'll build strong support networks to address online harms promptly and effectively.
Wellbeing
Building Resilience in the Digital Age
Practical Research
Investing in original research, we'll deepen our understanding of technology's impact on child development and mental health, uncovering insights that help technology companies make their platforms safer and help Save the Children and our peers in designing more effective interventions.
Wellbeing-Focused Innovation
Collaborating with tech partners, we'll create culturally appropriate training materials and content that prioritize mental health and foster resilience through positive digital habits.
Holistic Support
Integrating digital wellbeing into our child protection programs, we'll offer comprehensive online and offline support to promote resilience.
PROVEN IMPACT
By partnering with top tech companies, governments and civil society, we develop scalable, comprehensive solutions that address the multifaceted challenges of the digital age.
We're already making progress
Our Connected and
Safe project in Bosnia
and Herzegovina,
Kosovo and Serbia
reached more than 2
million people through
an awareness-raising
campaign, helping them
understand the risks
faced by children when
personal information is
shared online.
Our Keeping Zambian
Boys and Girls Safe
Online project reached
more than 2 million
people through an
online and mass media
awareness-raising
campaign.
We developed an
Online Safety App
in Sri Lanka to help
survivors of bad
behavior, such as
cyber-stalking, online
impersonation or
financial scams,
anonymously report
incidents and find
support.
In Bolivia, we have
engaged 2,097
caregivers, reached
2,348 children and
adolescents and trained
1,324 public servants
to advance digital
safety and literacy.
Your investment in Save the Children's $50 million global Safe Digital Childhood initiative will directly impact the lives of millions of children worldwide. Join us in this critical mission to protect and empower the next generation of digital citizens.
To discuss partnership opportunities or to learn more about how you can participate in this critical, timely global initiative, please click the link below.
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