Breaking the record of inaction in Nigeria: child-centred, grassroots advocacy for a safer digital future

Latest data reveals that children are not safe online. They are at risk of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation as unregulated digital platforms rapidly evolve with AI-generated imagery. A global pandemic, 1 in 8 children globally have been subjected to online solicitation in the last 12 months. This poses a great threat for Africa, which has the largest youth demographic of any continent.

New data, the world's very first global prevalence figure of childhood sexual violence unveiled by Together for Girls' Break the Record Campaign, shows that in the past 12 months, 82 million girls and 69 million boys experienced some form of sexual violence. This is approximately 3 girls and 2 boys per second.

These are staggering figures but it doesn't have to be this way. Change is possible. Sexual violence is preventable. This global scourge must be addressed, and we can certainly break this record of inaction towards ending childhood sexual violence. But this can only be realized through grassroots advocacy and adopting a child-centred approach to prevention, healing and justice.

Collaborating with grassroots organizations around ending childhood sexual violence is critical to our mission. Working together with established community leaders we discussed survivor engagement, and policy and advocacy looking at the Nigerian context.

The new Break the Record data comprised research representing 193 countries and relevant to the experiences of 2.4 billion young people. It includes data from Childlight which finds that over 300 million children under the age of 18 have been affected by online child and sexual exploitation and abuse in the last 12 months. Its report shows 1 in 8 children have experienced taking, sharing, and or/exposure to sexual images and videos in the last 12 months.

These forms of childhood sexual violence, both contact and non-contact, have serious emotional, health, and psychosocial impacts on children and youth, including into adulthood.

We collaborated with Global Survivor Council member, Dr. Bukola, founder of Suburbuncares. At Ravens Place, a school on the outskirts of Lagos, we delved into the urgent need to address online violence, with youth ambassadors facilitating group discussions with the children.

We showcased Beyond the Screen and engaged in meaningful group discussions with three different age groups to better understand their perspectives. I had the opportunity to lead the session with children aged 9-13, and what I learned was both eye-opening and deeply concerning.

This experience was a powerful reminder of just how much work lies ahead to ensure children are truly safe in online spaces.

As digital platforms become more integrated into their lives, we must act with urgency to protect them from harm and equip them with the tools to navigate the digital world safely. The voices of these children reaffirm the critical importance of our mission.

Suburbancares has been part of the Brave Movement since 2023. Ravens Place is Suburbacares' designated trauma center for the Remo division of Ogun State. We started engaging the community around the school since 2017 and the school management has been very gracious in allowing us to use their facilities as our meeting place, which is a cost-effective model for community outreach.