MACRA in partnership with ICT association of Malawi, Plan International YONECO and UNICEF commemorated this years Safer Internet Day SID under the theme online wellbeing and digital resilience.
This year’s Safer Internet Day theme is aimed at enhancing digital literacy, which is the ability to find, evaluate, utilise, share and
create content using information technologies and the Internet. Digital literacy is an important entitlement for all children and young people in an increasingly digital culture.
A 2019 MACRA and National Statistical Office survey found that of the Malawian children aged 9 to 17 years who reported that they had access to the internet, 28 per cent said they had been bothered or felt upset by something that happened to them online. The survey also reported that 53 per cent of the children had received or seen sexual messages (pictures or videos).
During this years commemoration MACRA called on all relevant stakeholders in the Information Communication and Technology
industry to support children and young people to achieve digital resilience through their respective corporate messages and extensive awareness on online safety, responsible digital citizenship, fake news and online fraud and scams.
speaking at a press briefing on SID MACRA’s director of legal services Thokozani Chimbe stated that access to digital and online
platform is no longer a luxury but a priority for all. “Bridging the digital divide between us and the increasingly internet connected world must be a focus for both Government and the private sector to support growth and reduce poverty by embracing ICT to the core. Together we can create a better internet for Malawi and for us all”. she said.
The planned activities included a press briefing, panel discussion and a school out reach programme.
