Faqir Mahbub for stronger global cooperation for children's online safety

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has called for stronger global cooperation, joint initiatives among stakeholders and the exchange of international best practices to ensure children's safety in the digital environment.

He made the call while delivering Bangladesh's statement at the Business IT Breakfast titled "Digital Childhood Without Borders: Best International Practices for Child Safety Online", held in Moscow, Russia, yesterday (9 October).

Representing Bangladesh at the event, the minister also conveyed, on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, his appreciation to the Global Digital Forum and the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment for undertaking this timely initiative.

Faqir Mahbub said Bangladesh is undergoing rapid digital transformation, enabling children to benefit from the online world for education and personal development. 

At the same time, however, they are increasingly exposed to new and evolving forms of online risks, he added.

Ensuring children's digital safety is no longer the sole responsibility of parents or teachers; rather, it is a shared responsibility involving all stakeholders, including governments, online platforms, technology companies and civil society.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh is working to strengthen relevant digital protection laws and legal frameworks, including the Cyber Security Act, to protect children's data and prevent online exploitation.

The minister, however, noted that such challenges cannot be addressed through legislation alone. 

In this regard, sharing international experiences, best practices and effective solutions that can be implemented on a broad scale is critically important, he said.

Referring to the review of the draft Joint Statement and Terms of Reference of the proposed Global Alliance to Protect Children in the Digital Environment, the minister congratulated the Russian Federation on taking this important initiative.

He further said the proposed document presents a comprehensive, child-rights-based framework in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The minister expressed Bangladesh's strong support for the three core principles of the proposed initiative, saying that the best interests of the child must be given the highest priority, the shared responsibility of all stakeholders must be ensured, and experiences and best practices must be exchanged through international cooperation.

He emphasised the importance of establishing a multilateral stakeholder framework that ensures equitable representation of different geographical regions, including the Asia-Pacific region.

Such a framework would provide opportunities for the realities, challenges and experiences of developing countries like Bangladesh to be appropriately reflected in the formulation of global strategies.

At the same time, Bangladesh welcomes the proposal to establish a Digital Childhood Safety Index and a dedicated platform for research and the exchange of best practices.

Faqir Mahbub Anam said enhancing digital literacy among children, parents and teachers is also a crucial foundation of the initiative.

He observed that developing the necessary knowledge and awareness in line with the rapid advancement of technologies, including artificial intelligence, could help establish an effective preventive mechanism against online harms.

He said Bangladesh remains firmly committed to the principles outlined in the Joint Statement of the Global Alliance to Protect Children in the Digital Environment.

Bangladesh is keen to work closely with the Alliance to protect children from online bullying, sexual harassment, data theft and other forms of digital harm.

The Alliance can play an important role in building a bridge between national policies and global cooperation, he added.

The telecommunications minister said Bangladesh is ready to work with all relevant stakeholders to build a future in which every child, regardless of nationality, can explore the digital world safely, creatively and without fear.

He said the collective initiative was an investment in future generations and that the digital future being built must be not only connected but also safe, inclusive and child-friendly.

Representatives from more than 100 countries participated in the international forum.