Scienceonline

On 5 February 2009, the Moroccan National Observatory on Children’s Rights (ONDE), the UNESCO Office in Rabat and Microsoft Morocco will launch their guide on the role of parents in the digital era. The launch will take place during the event organized by the three partners under the Presidency of her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem, at Golden Tulip Farah, in Rabat, Morocco, with the aim to sensitise parents and teachers on the importance of child cyber-protection.



The safety of children in using Internet is seen as a priority by the UNESCO Office in Rabat, ONDE and Microsoft Morocco. These three partners co-published a guide P@RENTS! La parentalité à l’ère du numérique (P@RENTS! To be parent in the digital era), which provides parents, teachers and people working with children with advice on the subject.

The meeting on 5 February will be an opportunity to present the guide but also to consolidate existing Moroccan initiatives concerning the protection of children using Internet. A panel made up of experts in the field of cyber-protection of children will discuss related educational, legal and technological questions.

The event will address the crucial question of protecting children in the cyberspace. It will focus on legitimate concerns of parents and teachers vis-à-vis the possible dangers linked to the use of Internet. Today, ICT can offer children various opportunities to develop their creativity, to access and share information. But the use of Internet also involves real risks for the safety of children: they can become victims of paedophilia or other forms of violence. Parents and teachers should, therefore, learn how to manage these risks.

A virtual ONDE network linking 80 associations working in the field of children’s rights will also be launched during the Rabat event. This network will soon be equipped with the technological tools which will facilitate the work of its members, who already benefited from an ICT training programme organized by ONDE and Microsoft Morocco.