Facebook partners African NGOs & public sector to promote safer internet, Techwomen Zimbabwe is local affiliate

Participants in Safer Internet Day 2017 

Since 2004, an annual event called Safer Internet Day has been commemorated around the world by various organisations and people who promote online safety for users all over the world.

The Safer Internet Day is happening today (7 February 2017) and volunteers, companies, organisations and some schools are taking part. Most will be hosting activities, sharing resources and information on promoting internet safety and online security practices.

The organisation behind it all, called Safer Internet Day, is all about taking a stand against negative aspects of the internet that include cyberbullying, trolling and online hate speech. It wants to promote online respect, digital entrepreneurship and empowerment, and positive content online.

In Africa, Safer Internet Day is working with Facebook. The global social media giant has launched a series of initiatives which will help make the Internet a safer and better place for people across the continent, and particularly children.

Public sector bodies and non-governmental organisations have also been roped in. Locally, Techwomen Zimbabwe,  an organisation that promotes the inclusion of girls and women in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related careers and fields is a partner to Safer Internet Day.

People interested in taking part can get involved by reaching out to Techwomen Zimbabwe, visiting the Safer Internet Day website or checking out the proceedings on Facebook.

image credit – Safer Internet Day Facebook page