LUSAKA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government was expected to launch a new system for anonymously reporting online child sexual abuse images and videos, its information and technology regulator said on Tuesday.
The system will be launched in collaboration with an international charity organization, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and Zambia becomes the 24th country to launch the portal.
Patrick Mutimushi, Director-General of the Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) said the regulator will remain committed to ensuring that children have a secured and safe environment to access the cyber world.
"We are thankful to our partner, the IWF, for the Reporting Portal, which is cardinal in the fight against child sexual abuse on the internet and will reinforce the nation's ability to mitigate online risks against children," he said, according to a statement.
The launch, he said, was an achievement of both the regulator and other stakeholders that have joined the global fight against child online sexual abuses, adding that it symbolizes the country's commitment to the implementation of a Sustainable Development Goal on ending all forms of violence by 2030.
Susie Hargreaves, Chief Executive Officer of IWF said she was happy that Zambia has joined the mission of ending online child sexual abuse, adding that child sexual abuse was a global problem which requires commitment of all stakeholders.
"It's a great privilege to be able to announce the IWF Reporting Portal in Zambia. Child sexual abuse is a global problem. It does not respect countries or laws. The only effective way to fight this horrific abuse is through strong, committed partnerships and a truly global approach," she said.
The IWF Reporting Portal is a web-based mechanism that will allow citizens to report child sexual abuse imagery they may stumble across online anonymously.
