About the Campaign

#ASID2026

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

Africa Safer Internet Day (ASID) 2026 is Africa’s coordinated contribution to the Global Safer Internet Day, marking a continental commitment to safer, more empowering digital spaces for children and young people. Led by Child Online Africa, in partnership with the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), the ITU Regional Office for Africa (ITU-ROA), and partners across the continent, ASID 2026 brings to life the African Union Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy, adopted in February 2024. The campaign reflects Africa’s shared values of community, care, and collective responsibility ensuring that no child navigates the digital world alone.

The Policy at the Heart of ASID

The AU Child Online Safety and Empowerment Policy provides 10 clear strategic goals, including:

Strong national leadership and coordination
Robust child-centred laws and enforcement
Protection of children’s data, identity, and privacy
Fast response systems for online harm
Safety-by-design responsibilities for businesses
Capacity building for professionals working with children
Positive and empowering digital use
Community-wide awareness raising
Research and evidence-based action
Regional and global cooperation

ASID 2026 exists to share, localise, and activate these goals across Africa.

Why ASID 2026 Matters

Children and young people make up nearly 40% of Africa’s internet users. Digital tools open doors to learning, creativity, and opportunity but also expose children to risks such as:

Cyberbullying

Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA)

Online grooming and harmful contact

Misinformation and data exploitation

ASID 2026 responds by promoting protection without fear, empowerment without exclusion, and policy-backed action rooted in African realities.

The Theme Explained

Together for a better internet: AU Online Safety Policy in Action.
This theme builds on the global Safer Internet Day message “Together for a Better Internet”,
while emphasizing Africa-led policy implementation. It highlights that online safety is a shared
responsibility from families and schools, to governments, media, and technology companies, and
that policy must be lived daily, not just adopted.