Child fund has launched a campaign to ensure the safety of children online.
The organisation said studies indicate rising trends of abuse in the digital space targeting students.
The Safe Community Linkages for Internet Child Safety Project will spend Sh115 million to keep an estimated 200,000 children safe from online predators.
The three-year project is being financed by Ending Violence Against Children to strengthen the capacity of government agencies to prevent and respond to online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Child-fund Kenya country director Alice Anukur said that through the project, various players including Childline Kenya and Life Skills Promoters will work to strengthen the national infrastructure around child online protection.
“We want to strengthen collaboration and coordination among social services providers to effectively prevent and respond to online child sexual exploitation and abuse,” Anukur said.
The project will focus on online child sexual exploitation and abuse hotspots in Nairobi and Mombasa.
In Nairobi focus will be on Starehe, Lang’ata, Kibra, Embakasi West, Embakasi South and Embakasi Central, and Kikuyu in Kiambu.
In Mombasa, the project will be implemented in Likoni, Mvita, Changamwe, Kisauni, Nyali and Jomvu, and the adjacent subcounty of Kikambala in Kilifi.
The project will centre on 60 communities and schools with 200,000 students at risk of online and offline sexual exploitation and abuse.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign in Nairobi, Shem Nyakutu, the secretary of the department of children services, said while the internet presents vast opportunities and possibilities for children to learn and play, it comes with many risks and vulnerabilities online.
“Safe CLICS will play its part in bringing together partners from all sectors to create a safe, secure and empowering online experience for children,” Nyakutu said.
He said studies had shown that a quarter of African children with internet access are exposed to sexually explicit materials with only 24 per cent reporting such incidences.
