Child safety is a growing concern these days and rightly so as we see multiple cases popping up regarding child sexual abuse etc almost every other day. According to sources, nearly 24 million children and young people across the world have contacted a child helpline in 2016 alone.
Child Helpline International and Telenor Group have partnered to build capacity among child helpline counselors and are launching their first online training module on child online protection. The module will be available to child helpline counselors and volunteers around the world as of today.
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The module is to introduce child helpline counselors and volunteers to the essentials of child online safety and digital skills, building competence of frontline support staff. It will consist of particle learning scenarios where child helpline counselors can encounter when talking to children about cyber bullying, inappropriate and illegal content and online sexual abuse.
Telenor and Child Helpline International’s Youth Advisory Council has developed the module. It is currently available in English.
Magdalena Aguilar, Co-Chief Executive at Child Helpline International speaking about the module said,
“This is the first time we are able to provide an online ‘learning by doing’ experience. The module is designed to reflect the daily working experiences of child helpline counselors and volunteers to make sure the learning can be applied directly in their work.”
This partnership perfectly complements Telenor Pakistan’s existing safe internet program iChamp that is being collaborated with Faceook and their Safe Internet and School Outreach Program.
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These initiatives along with the recent partnership with Child Helpline International are strengthen Telenor’s commitment towards UN SDGs 10 & 16.2: Reduced Inequalities & eradication of abuse and violence against children.
Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan, while speaking on the occasion, said,
“While it is our ambition to ensure a digitally connected Pakistan and bring the benefits of internet to the masses, we are also educating our children on safe use of internet. Telenor Pakistan has made orchestrated efforts to ensure safety and security of children in the virtual world.”
“In the age of the internet, it is essential for all the stakeholders to come together and plan for the collective safety of our children online. I am very happy that this e-learning module has taken shape after a large consultation exercise, especially from the youth who are pivotal in the digital world,” says Divyansh Dev, member of Child Helpline International’s Youth.
