The Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) has joined forces with the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) and other key partners to strengthen the nation’s fight against online threats facing children.
This was during the GISF-CSA Stakeholder Coordination Meeting on Child Online Protection (COP), held on August 8, 2025, in Accra.
The high-level engagement brought together representatives from UNICEF Ghana, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ghana Education Service, mobile network operators, and civil society organisations.
Discussions centered on advancing the National Child Online Protection Framework, improving collaboration, and developing sustainable safety interventions for children in the digital age.
Representing GISF at the meeting was Derrick Sosoo, the organisation’s Partnership and Programs Lead, who shared insights from GISF’s community outreach, capacity-building workshops, and nationwide awareness campaigns.
He underscored the importance of integrating online safety education into schools and equipping parents with the skills needed to protect their children in the fast-changing digital environment.
On his part, Mr. Emmanuel Adinkrah, President of GISF, Founder of the Trust and Safety Africa Academy, and a member of the Trust and Safety Professional Association (TSPA), reaffirmed GISF’s unwavering commitment to child online safety.
“We are at a point where protecting children online is not optional—it is a moral and national obligation,” Mr. Adinkrah said. “Our children are growing up in a connected world, and without the right safeguards, guidance, and education, they are left vulnerable to exploitation and harm.”
Mr. Adinkrah added: “In today’s digital age, the internet offers immense opportunities for learning, creativity, and connection. However, it also exposes children to risks such as cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, financial sextortion, harmful content, and online predators.
Protecting children online is not just a technological challenge—it is a moral responsibility that demands the combined efforts of parents, educators, policymakers, law enforcement, and technology providers.”
He also emphasised: “Child Online Protection requires proactive measures: educating children on safe internet habits, creating secure digital environments, promoting responsible content creation, and strengthening legal frameworks to punish offenders. Ultimately, our goal must be to ensure that every child can explore the digital world freely, safely, and with confidence.
He further called for sustained partnerships between government agencies, technology companies, educators, and advocacy groups.
“No single entity can solve this problem alone. Child online protection demands an all-hands-on-deck approach, where each stakeholder plays their part in creating a safer, empowering digital environment,” he noted.
Dr. Jamal Tonzua Seidu, Acting Deputy Director-General for Regulatory Operations at the CSA, also stressed the need for collective responsibility among regulators, service providers, educators, parents, and advocates to secure the online space for Ghanaian children.
Key outcomes from the meeting included a call for more structured multi-stakeholder coordination, the integration of child online safety into the national curriculum, and the continuation of nationwide awareness campaigns to build resilience among children and parents.
GISF’s participation in the dialogue further strengthened its partnerships with relevant agencies and provided valuable insights to inform ongoing projects targeting vulnerable online communities.
Mr. Adinkrah concluded with a call to action:
“We must turn policies into practice and strategies into action. Every child deserves the freedom to explore, learn, and connect online—without fear.”
