Ghana will today, February 8, join other West African countries to celebrate the eighteenth African Safer Internet Day (ASID).

The celebration under the auspices of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) of the Ministry of Communications and UNICEF Ghana is aimed at raising awareness on emerging online issues and the corresponding strategies for resolution.

The event is also expected to help sensitise and reorient children, young people, parents & guardians, and educators on the safe use of the internet while contributing to the capacity building and awareness generation for an improved cybersecurity culture among Ghanaians.

The celebration, known in Africa as ASID is organised in the second week of February each year. It is tailor-made to suit the peculiar needs and conditions of the African region.

The celebration has been observed in Ghana over the past 3 years by the NCSC of the Ministry of Communications in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana.

This year’s event focuses on the theme “Positioning and Partnering for Child Online Protection” and is expected to take place on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

This event theme acknowledges deficiencies identified in the continent’s Child Online Protection (COP) efforts juxtaposed with the requirements from the revised International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s) 2020 COP Guidelines.

It is anticipated that at least 75% of countries in Africa will be in the process of developing country-specific COP strategies by the end of 2021 with reference to the ITU COP Guidelines developed for the region.

The commemoration of the day has expanded to approximately 170 countries worldwide and has been coordinated by the INSAFE/INHOPE Network since 2005.

In Ghana, ASID celebration is consistent with the National Cybersecurity Awareness Programme dubbed “A Safer Digital Ghana,” a flagship initiative launched by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and implemented by the NCSC to build capacity and raise awareness on cybercrime as well as improve the country’s cybersecurity readiness among Children, the Public, Businesses and Government.

The Child online protection function is prioritised under the ASID celebration and constitutes the basis for the implementation of the major Child Online Protection initiative by the NCSC.

The NCSC will collaborate with a number of key partners and stakeholders in organising this year’s celebration.

These include the Ministry of Communications, UNICEF Ghana, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Ghana Education Service, National Communications Authority, Child Online Africa, and the Parents and Teacher Association (PTA) Council.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the mode of celebration this year will be different from previous editions which have always been delivered through physical engagement with students from selected Senior High Schools.

As a result a number of radio and television media outlets, social media and online news portals, newspapers and available virtual platforms have been earmarked to observe this year’s celebration.