Zimbabwe unveils a 2026-2030 plan to protect children online 🛡️👧🏾🇿🇼

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Zimbabwe’s government has rolled out a National Online Child Protection Policy covering 2026 to 2030, announced at the National Child Protection Conference held from July 7 to 10, 2026. The plan is designed to shield young internet users from risks tied to the country’s growing reliance on digital services.

Why this urgency now 👶🏾

The policy was unveiled alongside the country’s fourth National Action Plan for Children (2026-2030). Together, the two frameworks aim to strengthen child protection and wellbeing at a time when digital technologies are becoming part of daily life for younger generations.

According to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, the policy targets a specific set of threats children face online: cyberbullying, online exploitation, and grooming. Sextortion, privacy violations, and exposure to inappropriate or harmful content are also on the list.

The strategy further establishes a national framework meant to coordinate action across government, the private sector, academic institutions, civil society, and local communities. The goal is to better anticipate and limit the digital risks children are exposed to.

Internet use among children is climbing fast 📱

Officials say the policy comes as digital access keeps expanding among younger users. GSMA data suggests around 18% of children aged 5 to 7 in Sub-Saharan Africa are already using mobile internet — a share expected to keep rising as connectivity spreads across the continent. Globally, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates a child goes online for the first time roughly every half-second.

That growth comes with its own set of risks. UNICEF has flagged that children are increasingly exposed to the darker sides of the digital environment. In a 2023 report covering six Sub-Saharan African countries, the UN agency found that one in ten children who use the internet had reportedly experienced at least one form of online sexual abuse in the preceding twelve months. Separately, the 2023 Child Online Safety Index (COSI) — cited by the ITU in its Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 — found that nearly 70% of children and teens aged 8 to 18 worldwide had faced at least one cybersecurity-related incident during the year.

What do you think should be the top priority for protecting children from the risks of the internet and social media?