UNICEF and the GSMA have launched the Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection (COP), the first dedicated continental mechanism to coordinate, implement and scale safeguards for children in the digital environment.
The platform was unveiled at MWC25 Kigali and is designed to consolidate efforts across governments, industry, law enforcement, and civil society as Africa’s child internet adoption accelerates.
The launch operationalises a key recommendation from the GSMA’s June 2025 whitepaper, Enhancing Child Online Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed with UNICEF and regional partners. The report warned that as Africa records one of the fastest rates of child connectivity globally, risks ranging from cyberbullying and sexual exploitation to misinformation and harmful content are rising in parallel, intensified by the continent’s mobile-first usage patterns and the rapid diffusion of AI.
“As Africa’s children step boldly into the digital world, their safety must come first. The Africa Taskforce on Child Online Protection is a uniquely African platform to ensure technology shields children from harm while opening doors to learning, play, and growth,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli.
“By uniting governments, partners, and young people, we can make safety the foundation of Africa’s digital future.”
The Taskforce will coordinate actors across the mobile and tech industry, regulators, law enforcement, and civil society to drive implementation of existing African policy frameworks, improve cross-border cooperation and embed “safety-by-design” in digital products and services. Youth will hold a formal place within the structure, continuing the role they played in consultations for the whitepaper.
Caroline Mbugua, Director of Public Policy at GSMA Africa, said, “The Taskforce marks an important step from strategy to action, turning the whitepaper’s recommendations into tangible regional progress. By working alongside UNICEF, governments, industry, and youth representatives, we aim to embed safety into Africa’s digital transformation journey and ensure children’s voices shape the policies that define their future.
“Together, we will strengthen digital governance, promote safety by design, and ensure that children and young people’s voices shape the policies that define Africa’s digital future. By working in partnership, we can position Africa as a global leader in child-centred digital governance.”
Founding participants include Axian Telecom, Child Helpline International, INTERPOL, ICMEC, Internet Watch Foundation, MTN Group, MtotoNews, Orange, Paramount Africa, Safaricom, Vodacom Group, and youth representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda.
UNICEF and the GSMA say the Taskforce will now move into work-stream formation and implementation planning to translate commitments into continent-wide enforcement, safeguards and governance.
