The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has participated in the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Egypt Child Protection Annual Review 2024, as part of the UNICEF–Government of Egypt Country Programme. MCIT participation came within the framework of the Digital Citizenship and Online Safety Initiative.
MCIT highlighted its ongoing efforts in child online protection, in light of the national Digital Egypt strategy. It focuses on fostering human development and building citizens’ digital capacities to navigate tech advancements in accordance with the principles of digital citizenship and social responsibility.
The Digital Citizenship Initiative primarily aims to raise citizens’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities in the digital space. It is part of the Ministry’s efforts to empower children, adolescents, and youth to safely navigate cyberspace, equipping them with the necessary skills to identify threats and fully understand the implications and consequences of their online behavior.
In collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, the initiative developed guidelines on online protection. It also implemented interactive training programs for children, parents, teachers, and guardians in schools and libraries while incorporating interactive materials that explain digital threats, dangers, and the concepts of digital citizenship to young people.
During the event, MCIT presented the future vision of the Digital Citizenship Initiative, which entails collaborating with partners. It also introduced the role of the initiative’s community awareness e-platform, designed to make knowledge content on online safety and digital citizenship widely accessible. Furthermore, a community outreach plan is also implemented through community and youth centers and schools in different governorates to raise awareness and deliver training to the target groups.
Moreover, the initiative aims to establish partnerships and strengthen the contribution of national agencies, aiming to enrich the platform with valuable knowledge content and specialized training services. In addition, it will closely monitor and evaluate the impact of these inputs on the target groups, particularly children and adolescents.
