African MPs urged to draft laws against online child sexual exploitation

Highlighting the existing ambiguous laws and challenges in seeking justice for victims of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE), experts have urged  members of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) to draft appropriate laws to protect victims of OCSE. 

Andrew Rugege, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Regional Director for Africa, highlighted that while children have the right to use technology and enhance their digital skills, they also are vulnerable to various threats online. While one in three Internet users globally is a child, Regege cautioned ‘I put it to you, honourable members, that the rights of the child should come first before their rights to the digital world,’.