[Source: UNICEF]

The safety of children in online spaces has emerged as a critical concern as they are increasingly becoming immersed in the digital world.

This was highlighted by Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Shairana Ali during the National Scam Awareness Week panel discussion.

She says both children and guardians play crucial roles in ensuring online safety.

“We run public campaigns to educate families about online safety, and the idea is to really encourage an open dialogue between the children, amongst the children, but also with their guidance and their caregivers. These campaigns focus on teaching parents how to monitor their children’s online activity in a responsible way, without really encroaching on their privacy”

Ali says they are also advocating for stronger legal frameworks to protect children from online dangers.

“We do strongly believe that having appropriate, contextualized legal frameworks is really important, but also not just enacting these, but really implementing it in a holistic manner.”

Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Chair says while legal frameworks are crucial, the responsibility ultimately falls on individuals and communities to internalize the importance of online safety.