Our multi-faceted approach to online child sexual exploitation and abuse over the years.

The internet, a powerful tool for connection, exploration and creativity, unfortunately also harbours significant risks, particularly when it comes to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). In Tanzania, a significant proportion of children aged 12 to 17 are online, exposing them to potential dangers. This case study explores C-Sema’s comprehensive and multifaceted approach to combating online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) in the country.

About 67% of children aged 12-17 use the internet in our country. Alarmingly, the Disrupting Harm 2022 report estimates that 200,000 children in this age group experienced OCSEA within just one year. Additionally, between 2017 and 2019, the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported that 20,625 Cybertips related to Tanzania. These tips, mainly from Facebook, were about suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

In response to these disturbing statistics, we have developed and implemented a robust strategy that addresses online child sexual abuse through prevention, intervention and awareness initiatives. One of the cornerstones of our approach is the National Child Helpline (116). The helpline’s extensive outreach in Tanzania encourages both children and community members to report cases of OCSEA, enabling timely intervention and support for victims and survivors.

Another important part of our strategy involves removing harmful online images. We have worked with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF-) to address the distribution of such images via a specific online portal. This partnership will ensure the rapid removal of identified images, which is crucial to prevent further victimisation and protect children from online exploitation.

Awareness campaigns are another vital aspect of our initiatives in the fight against OCSEA. In October 2019, we worked with #ElimikaWikiendi to raise awareness about various facets of OCSEA. This campaign included daily social media posts that emphasized the role of parents, caregivers and internet service providers in protecting children. The campaign reached over 2.8 million people and generated 28.9 million impressions. Also in November 2019, C-Sema, together with Child Helpline International (CHI), organized the Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in Africa and MENA regions. This event focused on preventing and responding to OCSEA, engaging the public and insisting on the need for a collective response from all stakeholders.

The following year, with support from UNICEF, we expanded our outreach to high school students and the broader community to promote safe internet practices. This initiative reached more than 6,000 children about 11 schools. While it showed a high awareness among students about online platforms, it also highlighted a knowledge gap among teachers regarding newer platforms that are constantly being created and popular among children and young people. This discrepancy points to the need for more awareness among teachers and parents to better support children’s online safety.

From 2019 to 2022, we were a key participant in the Disrupting Harm project, a research initiative that provided insights into online child sexual exploitation in 13 countries. This project produced key findings and recommendations to improve prevention and response systems for OCSEA. Building on this, we are now implementing recommendations from the Disrupting Harm survey into phase four of the KUWAZA project, which focuses on sexual violence against children (SVAC). In addition, in phase three of the KUWAZA project, we developed a topic on OCSEA for the SVAC prevention toolkit, aimed at training children aged 7-14, parents, teachers, local government authorities and religious leaders.

We would like to think that the impact of our initiatives has been clear. The National Child Helpline (116) and online image removal efforts have significantly improved responses to OCSEA incidents, helping to protect children and prevent further abuse. Awareness campaigns, training and school outreach programmes have increased public understanding of online safety issues. However, continued efforts are still needed to educate all stakeholders, including children, teachers and parents. Collaborations with organisations such as IWF and the Tanzania Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, along with participation in international research projects, have strengthened our ability to comprehensively understand and address OCSEA.

The lessons learned from these efforts teach us the need for continued education on emerging online threats and the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement. Effective prevention and response require coordinated efforts from government, civil society, and private organizations. As the saying goes, ”many hands make light work”

Compiled by the C-Sema communications team.