UNICEF, Save the Children & the International Forum of Solidarity-EMMAUS

The Fund is helping UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina, Save the Children, and International Forum of Solidarity-EMMAUS to work as a consortium to support and advocate for online safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To do so, the organisations have worked with the government to establish a National Advisory Board to coordinate actions around online child sexual exploitation and abuse at the national level. They are also conducting mapping and assessment of existing victim support services and documented best national and international practices and recommendations.

In addition to advocacy and policy dialogue work with the government and other stakeholders, the consortium seeks to strengthen the response and engage the information, communications and technology industry. The project is also:

• Developing contextually-specific support services for children who have experienced online violence;
• Raising community awareness about online child sexual exploitation and abuse; and
• Integrating online safety into the school curriculum.

As a platform for these activities, the project has developed the Safer Internet Centre, which comprises of a hotline for reports of online child sexual abuse material, a helpline for children and enhanced hotline, and an awareness centre. Training and awareness-raising sessions are also being delivered to children, parents, caregivers, teachers, social service providers, government officials, law enforcement and the judiciary, and the information, communications and technology sector.