Lordina Dramani Mahama has called on world leaders to place child online safety at the centre of global policy, warning that while digital technology offers enormous promise for young people, it also exposes them to serious risks.
Speaking at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit in Washington, D.C., Mrs Mahama said the digital age demands urgent and coordinated action to protect children while preserving the opportunities technology creates.
She thanked Melania Trump for convening the summit and bringing international attention to the issue.
Technology as Opportunity and Risk
Drawing from personal experience, the First Lady recounted how Ghana’s 69th Independence Day, which also coincided with her birthday, became a moment that reflected the power of digital platforms.
She said she spent part of the day scrolling through TikTok messages from young Ghanaians who were unable to attend national celebrations but still found a way to participate.
“Many came from young people who could not attend our national celebrations. But technology gave them a voice,” she said.
Mrs Mahama noted that digital tools are transforming education, creativity and entrepreneurship, particularly for young people.
Quoting John Dramani Mahama, she said today’s children belong to a generation for whom “a smartphone becomes a classroom, a business platform, a creative studio, and a gateway to the global economy.”
Ghana’s Response to Online Threats
Despite those benefits, she warned that the digital world can also be dangerous without strong protections and guidance.
She cited findings showing that cyberbullying can have devastating effects on children, including school absenteeism and emotional distress.
To tackle these threats, Ghana has strengthened its legislative framework, enhanced enforcement mechanisms and rolled out the Safer Digital Ghana campaign to build public awareness and prevent online abuse.
The country’s 2025 national strategy also includes school-based digital literacy programmes and partnerships with major technology companies such as Meta and Google for content moderation.
A Shared Global Responsibility
Mrs Mahama stressed that safeguarding children in the digital era is a collective responsibility requiring international cooperation.
“Protecting children’s digital futures is our moral duty, our generational responsibility, and our shared global mission,” she declared.
With internet use expanding rapidly in Ghana and across the world, the summit in Washington is expected to strengthen collaboration on emerging threats such as sextortion, online abuse, disinformation and cyberbullying, while reinforcing efforts to make the digital space safer for children everywhere.
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