Airtel Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in technologies that make the internet a safer space for children as part of its ongoing efforts to combat online harassment and cyberbullying.
The pledge was made during a virtual discussion on bullying, cyberbullying, and children’s online safety held in commemoration of World Children’s Day.
The dialogue brought together a range of stakeholders—including Sauti 116, Safe Spaces Uganda, the National Information Technology Authority (NITA), Airtel Uganda, teachers, and learners—to address the growing problem of bullying among children and its impact on their wellbeing.
During the session, participants shared personal testimonies illustrating the severity of the issue. Andihihi Amos, a Senior One student at Rwamurunga Community Secondary School in Isingiro District, narrated how he was assaulted by a Senior Five student after a jerrycan he had been ordered to fetch was stolen.
Although he reported the incident and the perpetrator was expelled, Andihihi expressed fear of retaliation from other students for speaking out.
Another participant, who preferred anonymity, shared her experience of being nicknamed “Kiwi”—a reference to a shoe polish brand—because of her skin color, a form of bullying that deeply affected her psychologically.
According to Smark Ssengendo, Programme Officer for Prevention and Response to Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at Sauti 116, children face multiple forms of bullying including physical attacks, verbal insults, cyberstalking, and public shaming.
He noted that many victims go unheard when they report incidents, undermining their right to protection. Ssengendo also highlighted the “bystander dilemma,” where those who witness bullying fail to report it, inadvertently shielding the perpetrators.
“Children must be empowered to see reporting as an act of courage and solidarity, not ‘snitching.’ This requires providing anonymous and confidential reporting channels, like the 116 helpline or school suggestion boxes, and fostering a culture of empathy where children are motivated to stand up for one another,” he said.
Angela Lawino, a psychologist and PRO at Safe Spaces Uganda, emphasized the difficulties children face in trusting authorities when reporting bullying.
She noted that some children remain silent out of fear, even when the perpetrators are individuals in positions of authority.
She urged parents, teachers, and guardians to pay close attention to signs of distress and behavioral changes, and to intervene before such issues escalate.
Geraldine Mugumya, Risk Analyst for Information Security at NITA Uganda, outlined NITA’s role in coordinating national child online protection efforts. These include identifying policy gaps and producing awareness materials for children, teachers, and parents.
He also encouraged Internet Service Providers such as Airtel Uganda to adopt and implement safety features like content filtering for school internet systems to minimize exposure to harmful content.
Mugumya further advised internet users to be cautious about what they post online, adjust privacy settings on children’s accounts, use tools like Google Family Link for digital supervision, and secure devices with passwords to safeguard against cyber threats.
Airtel Uganda’s Public Relations Manager and moderator of the discussion, David Birungi, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to advancing digital child safety.
“We shall continue investing in technologies that protect users, such as the AI-driven spam alerts we recently launched, among others in the pipeline, to promote internet safety for users,” he said.
Uganda’s legal framework criminalizes cyber harassment under Section 24 of the Computer Misuse Act (as amended in 2022). Offenders face penalties including fines of up to seventy-two currency points—equivalent to about shs 1,440,000—or imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
A 2021 Disrupting Harm study by UNICEF, ECPAT, and INTERPOL revealed that 40 percent of Ugandan children aged 12 to 17 use the internet, and more than half go online daily. The 2022 CIPESA report further indicates that among these young users, 20 percent have experienced cyberbullying, 33 percent cyberstalking, and 11 percent other forms of harassment.