Safer Internet Day is also Being celebrated in Nepal with Various Programs This day, which is celebrated every year on February 6, has been celebrated in Nepal under the initiative of ChildSafenet.
Celebrated with the slogan ‘Together for a Better and Safer Internet’, this day advocates for the government, policymakers, private sector, information technology sector, and other responsible bodies and organizations to be accountable and fulfill their responsibilities. Also, it calls upon children, youth, parents, teachers, social workers, schools, NGOs, and other stakeholders to unite for a safe internet.
Since 2004, Safe Internet Day has been celebrated globally every year in February, and this day has been celebrated in Nepal since 2019 at the initiative of ChildSafeNet. Childsafenet, a specialized organization working for safe internet for children and youth, has been coordinating and promoting Safe Internet Day in Nepal.
Safer Internet Day Coordinating Committee has been formed in Nepal this year to make Safer Internet Day more effective and widespread to conduct an awareness program to keep children safe online. Childsafenet has performed the role of secretariat in this coordination committee formed under the chairmanship of the member-secretary of the National Child Rights Council under the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens.
Stating that everyone needs to work together for a safe internet, Anil Raghuvanshi, founder and president of ChildSafenet, says, “Every child has the right to be safe online just like in real life. It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure this right and keep children safe even online.”
According to Raghuvanshi, children and young people use a lot of technology, but if they do not have knowledge about online safety, they may be at risk of serious incidents such as online abuse and exploitation, cyberbullying, cyber grooming, phishing, and sextortion.
He said that on the occasion of Safe Internet Day, online security awareness programs will be conducted in different parts of the country. According to him, 44 organizations including United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, community organizations, private sector, and media houses have expressed their solidarity to promote this day.