New cybersafety resources for girls launched
February 7, 2022 11:58 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
A new information kit to be released this week will help girls and young women in Vanuatu to be safer and smarter when they use social media and go online.
Built around practical videos and booklets, the kit forms part of the Girls Online (GO!) project which was created to help young women better identify and manage online issues like cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and privacy protection.
The GO! project is a joint initiative of ABC International Development, CARE Vanuatu, and Sista in Vanuatu. The project is funded by the Australian Government as part of the Cyber and Critical Tech Cooperation Project.
It aims to empower young women address the cybersafety issues that they care about, in ways they can relate to. These new resources are based upon real-life experiences of young women to help others navigate cyberspace safely and productively.
“The videos and booklets have been developed by a group of Ni-Vanuatu girls and women, so they contain authentic, targeted and practical advice, support and referral pathways,” says Juliet Matansawan, GO! Cybersafety Coordinator from CARE Vanuatu.
Yasmine Bjornum, Executive Director of Sista added, “We have been working with young women who have courageously shared their personal stories and the challenges they faced in cyberspace. Young women are experiencing depression, anxiety, suicide ideation and internalizing shame as a result from having their privacy breached, or being a victim of cyberbullying or having their image shared without their consent. We hope these resources will be the start of a movement to make cyberspace safer for young women and girls.”
The resources will be launched today (7 February) at the Melanesian Conference Room. Attendees will see the inaugural presentation of the cybersafety videos, hear from GO! Project staff and take part in an open discussion.
From 8 February, Sista’s Facebook page will launch an online campaign using the new resources.
Over the next fortnight, Sista will progressively release three cybersafety videos, questions to prompt discussion, and an online version of the cybersafety booklet. Everyone who engages with the campaign will have the chance to win prizes. Sista and CARE will be looking out for the best responses to the resources and questions.
Winning responses will receive a GO! t-shirt or stickers and be featured on the Sista Facebook page.
