PROCON – PROTECTING CHILDREN ONLINE

The project aimed to ensure better protection of Kosovo’s children from online risks through awareness, empowerment and coordinated action of government, society and civil industry to take appropriate protective measures.

This project contained two interconnected components:

1) Online child protection.

-A multi-party group interested in protecting children from the Internet, composed of representatives of different groups were set up to address online child protection challenges at the policy and at technical level. A study visit to Hungary was organized for this group, to develop the capacity of its members to engage constructively and well-informedly on multi-sided policy for taking processes at national level. The program included a training workshop provided by the ICSS (International Child Safety Service) and a number of visits to learn from the experience of Hungarian agencies, government schools and CSOs. ICSS also supported the participatory process of developing a national strategy for the protection of children from the Internet which was expected to reflect the multi-sectoral nature of such intervention. The two-day regional conference on child protection from the Internet has served to disseminate the results of the project for the wide public experience and exchange of experiences with experts from other countries of the Western Balkans.

2) Increase awareness and empowerment.

-A web page to facilitate the flow of information on child protection from the Internet has been set up. Information materials for children, parents and teachers have been developed by a Kosovo team and EU experts based on the best models of the EU Safer Internet Programme. At least 100 information sessions in the country were organized in primary and secondary schools for children, parents and teachers. Also, online information was created and information materials were posted on the project’s website to raise awareness about the risks on the internet and empower children to cope with information sessions. The project supported up to 10 school-based initiatives to improve child protection from the Internet, which include different types of awareness raising and empowerment activities, and also a campaign to raise the awareness of the general public on this issue.

Key results:

1. Common approaches and strategies for protecting children from the internet have been developed.

2. Children, parents and teachers are aware of the risks online and authorised to deal with them.