Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - ASEAN forum vows to shield children from online abuse

ASEAN forum vows to shield children from online abuse

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
The flags of Cambodia and ASEAN fly side-by-side as the Kingdom is set to host the ASEAN Summit next week. Heng Chivoan

ASEAN forum vows to shield children from online abuse

Cambodia and the ASEAN nations co-hosted an information technology forum, which ended in a joint commitment to protect children from online exploitation.

The forum was held on November 2, with the support of UNICEF and the Cambodian government. Also joining the forum were development partners, youth advocates and relevant parties from the private sector.

“All children have the right to live in a world of peace, free from exploitation and abuse online,” said a UNICEF statement.

“The purpose of the forum was to eliminate online child abuse. It is a challenge that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders to prevent,” said Touch Channy, director-general of the General Department of Technical Affairs under the Ministry of Social Affairs Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.

“The whole of ASEAN has made a joint commitment to curb and combat the online exploitation of children and youth,” he added.

He also said the ASEAN countries would soon issue a statement detailing the actions they would be taking.

He added they intended to approach telecommunications companies and internet providers to encourage the reporting of any attempts at trafficking or harassment of children online.

Meas Saim, ADHOC deputy director of women and children’s rights, said the forum showed good progress in dealing with the issue was being made. Children were still being exploited online, so rapid action is important.

“I don’t know if it will be possible to completely eliminate this kind of crime, because of the speed technology changes at. Regardless, we must all be united in minimising its impact on children and punishing any perpetrators we come across,” she added.

She backed calls for the private sector to police its own networks to a greater extent.

The Cambodian National Council for Children issued a September 30 report which revealed that 16 per cent of children suffered from online sexual exploitation, mainly via social media. 16 per cent of children have been sent unwanted sexual images and 9 per cent were asked to share pictures of a sexual nature.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom