Keeping Children Safe Online

There have been some terrible reports of children who have taken their lives as a result of cyber-bullying, others who have trusted online stalkers and many who just get themselves into trouble because they were not being smart on-line, and many parents have no idea how to monitor and help.

In 2009, when a mother noticed that while her six-year old son was playing computer games an inappropriate advertisement appeared on the screen the Keeping Children Safe Online (KCSO) Project was born.

I have the privilege of managing this regional project which is being implemented in 4 countries, (Armenia, Georgia, Lebanon and Palestine). KCSO has been a very successful 3 year pilot that has introduced some very basic, but surprisingly simple safety tips and protocols for parents and children. It’s mission is to help make the online world safer for children, while providing youth and children with skills to protect themselves and others from online abuse and sexual exploitation. It is a two-tier initiative which focuses both on good practices, guidelines and tools for children and their caregivers around online safety as well as creating a complaint mechanism to provide a forum to raise concerns around incidents of child pornography, racism, trafficking, fraud and consumer protection.

Assessments carried out in Jerusalem-West Bank-Gaza, reported that while 83% of children use the Internet and more than 60% of homes have access to the Internet, only 1% of children and 4.5% of parents are aware of the risks of using the Internet and social media.

Through KCSO children are being trained on how to stay safe online and in turn, how to train others. The training targets children from 7 to 12 and 13 to 18 years old. In addition, the training aims to provide caregivers with tips on how to keep their children and students safe online. Training sessions on the Internet and its evolution are also provided to adults who are Internet-illiterate to encourage them to go online.

SAFER INTERNET DAY – FEBRUARY 5, 2013

For the upcoming Safer Internet Day (SID), our team is planning a variety of activities with the aim of promoting and raising the profile of the project and the importance of staying safe online on a national level. These activities will include sending informative text messages and holding a talk show with cyber police. Press releases, newspaper advertisements on online rights and responsibilities as well as news articles will be shared. In addition, Facebook page advertisement banners, a project website, SID posters and a video with children talking about their online rights and responsibilities are planned.

"Children of today are very dependent on the Internet; they find it everywhere,” says our project coordinator “We shouldn't try to ban them from using the Internet. Instead we should encourage channels of communication for them to trust us and come to us when they face online problems."

With the use of advanced technology and smart devices, use of mobile technology has expanded from 90% in April 2009 to 240% in April 2010 and with it, online risks.

A staff member at the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs explains, "I try to have my use of Internet to be something useful, but we do also use other networks like Facebook and social media. You do sometimes enter a different world and controlling this world is difficult. Without a doubt, the use of Internet is growing every day, and our protection while using it has to grow. Having resources to protect children online is very important, but I think that it is vital for parents, who spend the most time with their children, to know how to monitor their children’s use of the Internet and how to discover what the children are using the Internet for.”

Overseas Aid: An Australian View

A quick look at what Australian people know and think about Overseas Aid.

Sabra goes to School Now

“Every morning when my brother used to get ready for school and walk out of home with books, I used to cry over my fate. I asked myself, ’Why am I a girl?’ I used to think that if I had been a boy then I would have been blessed with the most precious gift in the world – education.” (Sabra, 14  years old)

Sabra’s village has a primary school that is located less than 10 kilometres from one of the largest universities in the province. Despite that, Sabra’s story is the same as that of most girls and women in Pakistan who are still bound by traditions which limit their access to an education: because they are girls.

In Sabra’s village women have had little to do with anything outside the home. It is assumed that every girl will be a housewife and that they will look after the home; so girls don’t need to go to school. Across the country, girls’ enrolment in both primary and secondary school still lag behind those of boys.

But things were to change for Sabra: we would never wish for disasters, but sometimes these events can create opportunities. When Sabra’s village was badly affected by flood, a Child Friendly Space (CFS), or ‘tent classroom’, was erected. (These ‘tents’ aim to help children regain a sense of normality and stability after losing their homes and routines during emergencies. They provide both formal and informal learning, including life skills and child rights.)

Paradoxically whilst the flood wreaked havoc, it opened the door to education for Sabra. Villagers saw our female staff visiting regularly and teaching women and girls about health and hygiene. For many girls and women this was their first contact with formal education and it marked the beginning of many changes in the community’s thinking, including challenging some of the barriers to women’s access to education.

People began to appreciate that education for girls is as important as it is for boys. They realized that women are not born to remain at home. But, perhaps even more importantly, they learned that even if they preferred to stay home, education could raise their awareness of things which could help in daily life, such as self-protection and health.

“I used to force my mother to talk to my father about my education, but she couldn’t manage to talk to him on this. I was burning from the inside every day. I wanted to gain an education but my age was passing and it was creating more barriers for me to convince my parents,” Sabra remembers.

Sabra’s Mum, Bakhtawar says: “I knew my Sabra’s passion for education. But, as she was getting elder day by day, it became hard for me to ask for her to be enrolled in school. It was next to impossible when you [face] thinking like: ‘if girls and women go into school then who will take care of the house and the cattle?’ But thanks to God. You arrived in our village and talked about the gender equality which gave us confidence to talk to our men and they also realized that there is no difference between men and women. All these things lead us towards the new beginning and took us on the path of enlightenment”.

When parents saw that their children were happy about attending the ‘tent classes’ and noticed dramatic changes in their behaviour - such as improved personal hygiene - they were convinced.

The project is finished now, our staff have left the village, but almost every girl in the village is going to school and instead of reverting back to how things were before the flood, the village is running their own child protection centre.

Over 300 children, including 134 girls, have been registered in the child friendly space and most girls who are now of school age, including Sabra, are enrolled in local government schools.

“I want to become a doctor and it’s my dream to serve my community,” says Sabra. Her Mum couldn’t be prouder: “I don’t know how far Sabra will go to pursue her dream, but I am happy that a ray of brightness has been lit, which has put an end to a darkness we’ve been facing for centuries.”

Some Pakistan Statistics:

• Literacy –Males: 69%, Females: 46% (Rural - 63% & 35%)
• Primary School Enrolment (age 5-9) –Boys: 69%, Girls: 56% (Rural - 76% & 59%)
• Secondary School Enrolment (age 6-16) – 80%. Boys: 64%, Girls: 36%
• Out of school (age 3-5) – 57%
• Illiterate Mothers – 66%

 (Edited from a story by: Jatoi Attaullah)

25 Years and Counting

I was reminded yesterday (9 January) that 25 years ago I was ordained and commissioned as a Salvation Army Officer.

A lot has happened in those 25 years. As an officer and with my family I lived and worked in 3 countries. I was a Pastor in 6 Churches; led Youth and Children’s, Education, Public Relations and Overseas Development ministries; lectured at Salvo Training Colleges; headed up Emergency Response and development work in 12 countries. I learnt to fly airplanes and obtained 3 degrees. And, I think at last count, Sandy and I have lived in 14 houses!

25 years full of variety, challenge and change. Over these years I have been changed and along the way I have learnt who the Creator made me to be and through the opportunities given me by the Salvos, [and some hard work :) ], today I am equipped to fulfil that design.

Whilst the past 25 years are characterised by change there are some things that do not change. This morning as I spent time in quietness I was pointed to these words of Jesus: “God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "This is God’s year to act!"” (Luke 4:14-22)

Over 25 years ago I took these words as my life script and the Author’s example as my motivation. Even if my life and ministry vehicle have changed, some things will never change.

[My congratulations to all the Messengers of Peace who yesterday marked 25 years of service and ministry - especially to my wife Sandra who continues to transform lives through unconditional love and acceptance – even when it hurts.]