First Lady Janet tips on Internet use

By Nyongesa Wandera

The First Lady and Minister for Karamoja Affairs Janet Museveni has asked telecommunications regulator, Uganda Communications Communication (UCC), to launch a national awareness campaign on cyber security to educate children and parents on child online protection.

Janet was speaking at the closure of the two-day Africa Child Online Protection Summit at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort, where she was the chief guest.

She said child online protection is important to both leaders and parents and needs to be addressed. “A very important and key player in this fight is, of course, the family – the parents, sisters, brothers and others in our homes who may themselves be active Internet users.

On access, things have changed profoundly in recent years such that pornography on the Internet can be accessed anywhere and at any time,” Janet said.

She noted that although the Internet has positively affected people in the area of education, facilitated online transactions and has also made available expert medical services through telemedicine, it has also had a negative impact on the innocence of children.
 

Mrs. Museveni (C), Nasasira (2nd-L) and some of the delegates to the Africa Child Online Protection Conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo Kampala

“Our children are being exposed to online content that is detrimental to their young minds and we must move to regulate it and curtail its harmful effect,” she advised.

The First Lady said parents have been left out and many of them have no clue regarding the danger their children may be exposed to and that all stakeholders need to work together to prevent children from accessing pornography and to educate them about keeping safe online.

“I, therefore, request UCC to cause a national campaign or awareness drive to be launched in collaboration with the industry to bring this matter to the nation’s attention,” said Janet.

She added: “I would also like to suggest that we go even further and consider inclusion of this subject in the national curriculum requirements to teach children about online safety. This would mean giving young children sensible, age-appropriate education about what to expect on the Internet said Janet. She noted that there is need to teach children not just about how to stay safe online, but also how to behave on social media and over telephones with their friends.

“The reality is that we cannot deny children access to some of these communication devices, therefore, we need, rather, to educate them concerning the dangers of access to bad material online.

“Ultimately, we should be able to make it absolutely clear to any offender that there is no such thing as a safe place on the Internet to access child abuse material.”
 

Mrs. Museveni also called for tight regulation of the Internet just like other industries.

“I have nothing against the notion of open and free Internet. But just as we regulate other industries, for example, restricting children from viewing certain channels on our TV sets, going into bars or cinema houses, or from buying items meant for adults or having adult experiences, I believe we must also regulate the Internet in order to protect our children.”

She added that this is to ensure that there is a balance between freedom and responsibility, and “it is our responsibility to determine such parameters”.

Responding to Janet’s call, UCC executive director, Godfrey Mutabazi, said they are beginning the drive next year.

“We shall draw a sensitisation roadmap so that we begin the campaign early next year. Thirty percent of Uganda’s population uses Internet, which is about 11 million people,” said Mutabazi.

He pointed out that the campaign will involve various stakeholders like teachers, parents, pupils and students, schools, opinion leaders and civil society organisations.

It is understood UCC has so far set up 1,000 ICT laboratories in schools across the country and of these, 600 are connected to the Internet. Mutabazi said that 2,000 teachers are equipped with ICT skills.

ICT minister, John Nasasira, said the Government has undertaken a number of initiatives on child online protection.