One in seven children in our country reports that they have been a victim of online bullying and stalking in social networks
Alarming data on online violence and a dramatic increase in reports of online sexual exploitation and abuse of children received by the Safer Internet Center in 2023 are part of the reasons for holding the first National Conference on Online Safety and Children’s Digital Skills . The forum is organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Ministry of the Interior, the State Agency for Child Protection, the National Network for Children, the Association “Parents” and the Center for Safe Internet, and aims to promote dialogue, knowledge sharing and experience, as well as improving national efforts for a safe internet for children and young people in Bulgaria.
Rosen Zhelyazkov, Speaker of the National Assembly, Stoyan Temelakiev, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Teodora Ivanova, Chair of the DAPS, Kristina de Broin, UNICEF representative in Bulgaria and Georgi Bogdanov, Executive Director of the National Network for Children opened the event, which in within the event day will cover topics such as misinformation, cyberbullying, harmful and illegal content, sexual abuse and child exploitation.
“Find funds for permanent national funding for the National Safer Internet Center! Now it exists on the good will of the team, donors and help from businesses. The lack of such funding is a precedent in Europe, about which we are constantly alarmed by the National Network for Children!” . This is how Georgi Bogdanov addressed the representatives of the institutions at the start of the conference.
2023 is also a record year for Bulgaria as for the period January – September 2023. The Safe Internet Center received and processed over 32,000 reports of illegal and harmful content, which is a 79% increase compared to the data for the same period last year. Over 90 percent of the cases are related to sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
The national study of violence against children , commissioned by UNICEF and presented in April 2021, shows that 47% of children in Bulgaria, or every second child, has experienced some form of violence by the age of 18. According to the same study, one in seven children reported being a victim of online bullying and stalking, especially on social media. According to Eurostat data , only 58% of young people aged 16-24 in Bulgaria have basic or better digital skills, which is significantly below the EU average of 80%.
“Addressing these large-scale challenges requires the combined efforts of the entire society, targeted multi-sectoral efforts and investments. Every child in Bulgaria must have effective and quality access to programs and services for prevention and improvement of online safety and digital skills, as well as to specialized services to support victims,” said Christina de Bruyn, UNICEF representative in Bulgaria.
“The digital transition requires a comprehensive action plan to ensure effective protection and support. The process of building digital skills, supported by the presence of effective legislation and infrastructure, will create an environment in which children and young people can optimally use the opportunities of the digital decade. Only with joint efforts can we achieve better results – for our children and their more secure future,” commented Mrs. Maria Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During the conference, international standards and the model for improving national efforts to prevent and respond to online sexual exploitation and abuse of children of the Global Alliance WeProtect, of which Bulgaria is also a part, were presented. The model also contains a tool and guidelines for self-assessment of national policies and improving coordination between different actors and sectors.
“A number of key ministries, agencies, the non-governmental sector, the private sector, representatives of the IT industry and the media have made their commitments. This clearly shows that society understands the problems and is looking for a comprehensive systemic approach. What is needed is better connectivity of individual programs, a systematized long-term model that can attract adequate funding, integrated policies at the national and local level, effective law enforcement and increasing digital skills and the quality of digital services,” he said . the chairman of the National Assembly and patron of the conference Mr. Rosen Zhelyazkov.
A number of examples of successful policies, initiatives and projects aimed at making the web safer and improving children’s digital skills were also presented during the forum. As ongoing challenges and recommendations, the need to popularize and expand the scope of existing programs and services to support not only children, but also their parents and professionals working with them was outlined. For example, there is still a lack of a sustainable mechanism for financing the activities of the Center for a Safer Internet, which makes it difficult to sustain its work.
To seek support and/or report a crime, you can contact:
116 111 – National telephone line for children
124 123 – Advisory line for online safety and Safe Internet Center at www.safenet.bg
Directorate of “Cybercrime” at GDBOP at [email protected] or at 0885 525 545.
The results of the National Conference will be summarized and sent to the National Assembly, responsible ministries and agencies, so that they can be used in the process of developing and improving national legislation and policies, including the National Strategy for the Child (2024-2030) and the Plan for action for 2025-2026 for the implementation of the National Program for the Prevention of Violence and Abuse of Children 2023 – 2026.
Header photo: Lilia Yotova, UNICEF Bulgaria
