Drafting of Zambia’s national child online protection strategy has started.

The Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) started putting together the strategy, which is planned to be subject to review every year to avoid exposing children and youths to illicit websites.

Research carried by ZICTA two years ago suggested that Zambian children as young as five years old are using the internet without supervision.

As a result, ZICTA has engaged the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to help with drafting the child online protection strategy.

ZICTA has already partnered with Unicef to create awareness among Zambian children on the safe use of ICTs.

ZICTA public relations manager Ngabo Nankonde has said Zambian youths risk becoming victims of online abuse.

“Most parents in Zambia do not monitor what their children are surfing online because many challenges are technologically challenged while others are not aware that there is software that can be used to block undesirable websites that can expose their children to danger,” Nankonde said.