Zimbabwe is strengthening its efforts to protect children from the growing risks of the digital world.
Last week, the government officially launched its National Online Child Protection Policy 2026–2030, a strategy designed to address the increasing threats faced by young internet users.
The policy was unveiled in Bulawayo during the National Child Protection Conference, held from July 7 to 10, alongside the country's Fourth National Action Plan for Children (2026–2030). Together, the two initiatives reflect the government's commitment to adapting child protection measures to a rapidly expanding digital environment.
According to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the new framework aims to combat major online threats, including cyberbullying, online child sexual exploitation, grooming, sextortion, privacy violations, and exposure to harmful or inappropriate content.
The strategy promotes a coordinated approach involving government institutions, technology companies, universities, civil society organizations, and local communities to strengthen children's safety in the digital space.
The initiative comes as internet access among young people continues to grow. According to the GSMA, nearly 18% of children aged 5 to 7 in Sub-Saharan Africa already use mobile internet, a figure expected to increase as network coverage expands.
Globally, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates that a child connects to the internet every half second, highlighting the rapid pace of digital adoption and the growing cybersecurity challenges that accompany it.
UNICEF has also warned about children's increasing exposure to cyberbullying, disinformation, harmful content, and online abuse. In a 2023 study covering six Sub-Saharan African countries, the organization found that one in ten child internet users had experienced some form of online sexual violence during the previous 12 months.
The findings are echoed by the Child Online Safety Index (COSI) 2023, cited in the ITU's Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, which found that nearly seven in ten children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 experienced at least one cybersecurity incident over the past year.