First Lady Margaret Kenyatta yesterday called for enhanced protection of children and the youth from harmful online content.

She said such content exposes them to vices such as cyber bullying, addiction, racism, sexual harassment and online fraud.

“These are risks and challenges that will require our concerted efforts through advocacy, raising of awareness and regulation to protect consumers, especially children, the youth and vulnerable communities,” she said.

The First Lady acknowledged growing importance of online platforms in service delivery especially during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

She spoke yesterday at the Communications Authority of Kenya office complex in Nairobi  during the launch of the second phase of the national Child Online Protection (COP) campaign dubbed, “Huwezi Tucheza: Tuko Cyber-Smart”.

The multimedia campaign seeks to inform and empower children and the youth with skills and information on how to use Internet in a productive manner as well as enable them to stay saf­e online.

Chief Justice Martha Koome urged all relevant players in the legislative process to hasten the enactment of the proposed Children’s Bill 2021, saying it has important clauses on protection of children against online exploitation.

“This was not in the Children’s Act because it was not a reality in 2001 when the Children’s Act was enacted. Therefore, it is necessary for us to move with speed and enact the Children’s Bill 2021,” she said. 

She thanked the First Lady for being an ardent champion and defender of children rights and welfare.

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru assured the First Lady of his ministry’s commitment to tame runaway societal moral decline brought about by the Internet particularly its negative impact on children.

“Technology can be a good servant but it is an especially bad master. Let us tame technology so that we can use it for the good of society,” Mucheru said.