Online Safety Awareness Audio Game is Now Live in Nepal!
From now on, in the fight against online sexual abuse, children can learn about positive online safety practices through a free Interactive Audio Game. Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL), in partnership with Viamo and with support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery, launched this fun and engaging auditory learning process. Nepal Telecom (NT) users in Nepal can now access this game by dialling 32100.
The audio game is extremely relevant in the ongoing context in Nepal. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Nepal received 63,366 CyberTipline (suspected child sexual exploitation reports) that increased to 178,371 in 2020 and 263,130 in 2021. As per a 2020 study by Child Safe Net and ECPAT Luxemborg, Rapid Assessment of Live Streaming of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and Young People, 12.80% children and youth (18.58% boys and 6.88% girls) experienced live streaming of sexual abuse and exploitation. Although there have been previous OCSE interventions in the country, the issue is still a concern as access to technology and online networks by children becomes easier and cheaper, in a context that lacks regulation and awareness from communities and decision makers.
SCROL
The game is being launched as part of TdH NL’s SCROL (Safety for Children and the Rights Online) project which works to ensure that children are protected from Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE). The game has an Interactive Voice Response(IVR)which presents various scenarios to the player and then asks the listener to choose a response from a set of options. This way the user navigates through different stories and learns by doing.
“The game features an adolescent girl called “Ayesha” who encounters various risky situations while using social media. We are proud that it was developed based on children’s experiences and hope many children will relate to the stories. ”, said Ms.Zoe De Melo,TdH NL’s Programme Manager of OCSE.
Children are at the centre of the SCROL programme: not only does this programme create an environment to protect children from OCSE, but at the same time children are actively participating themselves in achieving this. They are themselves actors of change.
GAME FOR FREE
In this regard, the audio game aims to equip children with much needed knowledge on safe online practices, do’s and don'ts online, identifying online abuse and reporting cases of concern. Through their learning, children can further sensitise their peer groups and network on online safety. Additionally, children can play the game as many times as they want to, at no cost.
“The idea is to make children aware of safe online behaviour while using the internet. It is planned through an audio game where children play and learn and also keep themselves safe while playing the game.”, said Mr. Subrat Kumar Panda TdH NL’s project lead of SCROL Nepal.