Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma [email protected]
GOVERNMENT is at the preliminary stages of developing legislation to turn the Zimbabwe National Child Online Protection Policy (2026–2030) into law as it moves to strengthen the protection of children from abuse and exploitation in the digital space.
The policy was launched in Bulawayo in July by Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and provides a national framework for protecting children from online threats.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe National Child Online Protection Policy Unpacking Workshop in Harare yesterday, Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Permanent Secretary Dr Beulah Chirume said Government was working on an accompanying Act.
“Government also recognises the need for an accompanying Act, and we are already at the preliminary stages of developing that legislation,” said Dr Chirume.
She said Zimbabwe’s rapid digital transformation had brought opportunities for children while exposing them to cyberbullying, online grooming, sexual exploitation, harmful content and misuse of personal data.
“Zimbabwe stands at a defining moment in its digital transformation journey. Government’s sustained investment in connectivity shows in the numbers: Internet penetration reaching 87,39 percent, broadband penetration rate at 85,83 percent, and mobile penetration above 108,53 percent,” she said.
Dr Chirume said data traffic had increased by 57,28 percent year-on-year, from 114,02 to 179,33 petabytes in the year to the first quarter of 2026.
She said the growth in connectivity meant that more children were accessing the internet for education, entertainment and social interaction.
“Behind these figures are children going online for education, play and connection with their peers, inheriting both the promise of this digital economy and its risks,” said Dr Chirume.
She said Cabinet had approved the Child Online Protection Policy as the country’s first framework dedicated entirely to safeguarding children in the digital space.
The policy was developed through consultations involving Government, civil society, academia, the private sector, development partners and children.
Dr Chirume said the workshop was aimed at translating the policy into practical measures, including strengthening institutions and laws, prevention and response mechanisms, education, public awareness, corporate responsibility, research, cooperation, and monitoring and evaluation.
She urged stakeholders to openly identify gaps and challenges affecting the protection of children online.
Dr Chirume also welcomed the participation of children and young people at the workshop, saying their voices should be central to policies affecting their safety.
“Too often, policies that affect children are discussed in rooms where children themselves are absent. That is not the case today, and it should never be the case again when the subject is their safety and their future,” she said.
The workshop was organised in partnership with Save the Children, while UNICEF supported the development and launch of the policy.
Dr Chirume urged children participating in the workshop to speak freely about their experiences and concerns.
“This Policy exists because your safety matters, and your voice matters in shaping what safety looks like online,” she said.
