In their statements to the press, the Ministers outlined key steps being taken to address the growing number of online threats facing children such as cyberbullying, cyber harassment, and sextortion. They invited all interested parties, including parents, educators, youths, non-governmental organisations and the civil society to engage with the consultation process by reviewing the draft report and providing their feedbacks and suggestions.

While the draft report is available on the website of the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, https://mitci.govmu.org, the public can submit their views and proposals via email to mtci@govmu.org, or through the chatbot MAIA+ which will be available as from 15 April 2025.

Addressing the press, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare emphasised that the draft report was not just a diagnosis of the current situation but a call to action aimed at ensuring that children’s online experiences were safe and without fear. She informed of the availability of the hotline 139, providing children an avenue to voice concerns if they feel threatened online.

Furthermore, Mrs. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie stated that a workshop with relevant stakeholders will be held soon to address the escalating issue as more than 19,000 online incidents had been reported between 2018 and 2024. She mentioned as well that an investigation, spearheaded by the Police, into the illegal distribution of inappropriate photos of women and children over the messaging app Telegram, was ongoing.

For the Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, it is critical to identify both victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying, online harassment and sextortion much earlier, as current cases are often detected too late to effectively intervene. Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon stressed that parents should play an active role in monitoring their children’s online interactions and experiences, and in spotting the early signs of cyberbullying, namely through the behavioural changes.

The Minister of Education and Human Resource called on the press to take a more active role in online child protection, underlining the need for a partnership between the media, government, and various stakeholders to effectively address the growing threats children face in the digital space. Dr Mahend Gungapersad urged media outlets to sensitise the public about the various legal provisions designed to protect individuals and families, and safeguard children online.

According to Dr Gungapersad, digital literacy is a key factor not only to enable a responsible and safe use of technology but also to understand the potential risks and effectively combat online threats. He underscored that educators, children along with parents must all be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to understand and navigate the digital world safely. Measures implemented at the level of the Ministry of Education comprise educational and psychological support of children, surveillance and monitoring, together with a specific internet usage policy for schools.

For his part, the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation briefed the press on the preparation of the draft report stemming from high-level meetings chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Paul Raymond Bérenger, involving key stakeholders. Dr Avinash Ramtohul outlined a series of strategic actions incorporated into the report and focusing on legal reforms, the implementation of stronger age verification systems across online platforms, the establishment of a National Child Protection Authority, enhanced collaboration with international organisations, empowerment of parents, the promotion of digital literacy and the upgrading of the national reporting system.

Source: Government Information Service

Date:  10 April 2025