FIDA-Ghana President Champions Child Online Safety Initiative in Ghana
Hey There!
The bold and dynamic Afua Brown-Eyeson, a seasoned lawyer with 21 years under her belt, has bagged a prestigious role as the lead for the Child Online Protection (COP) Division of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) in Ghana, starting from February 1st, 2022.
Afua's mission? Collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of COP provisions outlined in the Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038). Her primary focus will be engaging with national-level stakeholders to escalate the commitment to preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as developing robust support services for victims—including prosecuting offenders of child online sexual crimes.
The Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038) argues strongly against child online abuses, criminalizing activities like the production, viewing, and distribution of child sexual abuse materials, online grooming of children, cyberstalking, and sextortion. Offenders face penalties of up to 25 years upon conviction.
Sadly, according to a 2021 UNICEF report, one out of every five girls and one out of thirteen boys globally have experienced sexual exploitation or abuse via digital means prior to their 18th birthday. A report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children shows over 13,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse were accessed or uploaded from Ghana in 2020, emphasizing the urgent need for a united, nationwide response to safeguard the Ghanaian child.
The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, shared that protecting children online is one of the key cybersecurity priorities for the Ghanaian government. The government recognizes the essential need to promote a safe and positive online environment for children and young people as it pushes for Ghana's digitalization.
Afua Brown-Eyeson is not new to the legal arena—she's a legal consultant, a court-certified advocacy specialist for children in Georgia, USA, the chairperson of the West Africa and Ghana chapters of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF - West Africa and WILDAF - Ghana), a member of the Domestic Violence Management Board, and a former lecturer at the Ghana School of Law.
It's worth noting that the CSA, established under Section 2 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), plays a crucial role in regulating cybersecurity activities and driving Ghana's cybersecurity development.
While there isn't detailed information at hand regarding the initiatives embarked upon by Afua Brown-Eyeson within the COP Division of the CSA, the CSA has actively collaborated with international bodies like Israel and the UK to strengthen cybersecurity, promote cyber safety among the young, fortify Ghana's regulatory framework for child online protection, and engage with NGOs like Child Online Africa (COA)—though there's no specific mention of direct collaboration under Afua's leadership. For more fine-tuned details on specific initiatives, additional sources or direct communication with the CSA might be required. Stay safe, and keep advocating for online child protection! 🚀💪💪
- Afua Brown-Eyeson's new role at the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) in Ghana involves focusing on the development of robust support services and personal-growth opportunities for victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse, as part of her mission to enforce provisions outlined in the Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038).
- As the lead for the Child Online Protection (COP) Division of the CSA, Afua Brown-Eyeson aims to use technology and data-and-cloud-computing resources to create a comprehensive report, detailing the progress of initiatives aimed at preventing child online abuses and providing education-and-self-development resources for children, as part of the Ghanaian government's digitalization efforts.
- The CyberSecurity Act 2020 (Act 1038), along with international collaborations with countries like Israel and the UK, will play a vital role in furthering cybersecurity technology and ensuring the effective development and implementation of COP provisions, to address the increasing concerns of child online abuse and exploitation, as seen in reports from UNICEF and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
