First Lady, Lordina Dramani Mahama, has called on world leaders to place child safety at the centre of digital policy, warning that while technology is opening new doors for young people, it is also exposing them to growing risks.
Speaking at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by Melania Trump, Mrs Mahama said governments and stakeholders must act together to ensure children are protected online.
She shared a personal experience from Ghana’s 69th Independence Day celebration on March 6, which also marked her birthday.
According to her, she received numerous TikTok messages from young Ghanaians who could not attend the national event but used digital platforms to participate from afar.
“Many came from young people who could not attend our national celebrations. But technology gave them a voice,” she said, noting how digital tools are connecting people in new ways.
Mrs Mahama pointed out that nearly 70 percent of the global population now uses social media, with Ghana recording between 8 and 15 million internet users, many of them young people.
Quoting President John Dramani Mahama, she said today’s generation has access to tools that can transform learning, business, and creativity.
“In their hands, a smartphone becomes a classroom, a business platform, a creative studio, and a gateway to the global economy,” she noted.
Despite these gains, the First Lady warned that the absence of proper safeguards leaves children exposed to harm online.
She cited findings that one in five young victims of cyberbullying avoids school because of their experiences.
She said Ghana has taken steps to address these risks through stronger laws, improved enforcement, and public education campaigns, including the ‘Safer Digital Ghana’ initiative aimed at reducing online abuse.
“Protecting children’s digital futures is our moral duty, our generational responsibility, and our shared global mission,” she said.
The two-day summit brought together global leaders and stakeholders to deepen cooperation on child online safety.
Discussions are building on existing international frameworks such as the UN Children and Digital report and the European Union’s Digital Services Act.
Ghana’s efforts are anchored in its 2025 national strategy, which includes digital literacy programmes in schools and partnerships with technology firms such as Meta and Google to improve content moderation.
With internet penetration estimated at 68 percent, Ghana is emerging as one of the countries on the continent working to expand digital access while addressing threats such as sextortion, disinformation, and online abuse.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
