Uganda has officially launched its “Be a Cyber Hero” campaign, a three-year national initiative bringing together stakeholders to promote safer, more responsible digital spaces, especially for children and young people.
The launch of the campaign follows alarming statistics on the prevalence of youngsters falling victim to cyber bullying, financial fraud, identity grooming, online exploitation, scams and phishing.
Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the Minister of State for Information, Communication and National Guidance, presided over the launch of the initiative in Kampala on Thursday.
She called for collective responsibility in protecting children online, urging parents, schools, media, technology providers, civil society and young people all to play a part.
Ssebugwawo pledged the government’s commitment to a secure digital environment through policy, legal frameworks and partnerships.
The minister said the “Be a Cyber Hero” campaign was “a call for technology to be used for empowerment rather than harm”.
Among other stakeholders endorsing the initiative is the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
Fred Otunnu, director of corporate affairs at the regulator, also called for a multi-stakeholder approach to protecting children online.
He said that while UCC continued strengthening Uganda’s digital safety through regulation, awareness campaigns, research and cyber security initiatives, creating safer online spaces also required individuals and communities to recognise harm and play their part.
“Be a Cyber Hero, therefore, calls on every Ugandan to carry the same sense of responsibility online that we already show when protecting others in our communities,” Otunnu said at the launch.
A teenager, Joan Marinah Ndagire, a high school student and child online safety advocate, was the guest of honour at the event.
A victim of cyber bullying, she appealed to parents to prioritise conversations with their children to check how they are coping online.
“The risks may have moved from the streets to screens, but the responsibility to protect children remains with the parents,” Ndagire said.
She also encouraged minors to speak up when they experienced or witnessed harm online.
The new campaign prioritises parental and caregiver engagement, peer-to-peer learning and rallying teachers, internet service providers, policymakers and local communities to actively report scams and secure digital spaces.
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