Online Child Sexual Exploitation devastates lives, and impacts 11% of children in Cambodia. This project builds leadership, protection and hope for youth. We will train, motivate, connect and equip youth with the technology to lead a social movement that influences behaviour change amongst their peers, creates awareness and advocate to communities and authorities so children are protected from, and actively protect themselves from Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE).
11% of internet-using children aged 12-17, in Cambodia (some 160,000 children), are subjected to clear examples of online child sexual exploitation and abuse according to UNICEF. Children are unable to recognise risk factors online and find it difficult to distinguish between safe and dangerous communications and relationships. Adolescents are especially at risk as they are actively searching for validation and acceptance, and behaviour change is unlikely from top down messages.
Cool kids, with a hopeful message about online safety, using technology, creativity and their credibility to be Change Agents who can genuinely influence and create behaviour change in themselves and their peers are the answer. We train them as campaigners, citizen researchers, peer mentors and citizen journalists, enable them through websites, chatbots, the behavioural science of gamification, and equip them with training, coaching and support. They reach thousands and multiply their impact
A social movement of youth, with the tools, community, capacity and confidence to make a difference, to stand up and influence and be protectors has the potential to prevent the trauma of tens of thousands of vulnerable children.
