The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Ghana has called for stronger child protection measures and improved digital parenting as reports linked to child sexual abuse material in Ghana surged from 750 in 2016 to more than 51,000 in 2025.
The figures, shared by the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, have heightened concerns about the growing risks children face as internet access and digital technology become increasingly widespread.
UNICEF Ghana Child Protection Specialist Miho Yoshikawa raised the concern at a Child Online Protection and Digital Parenting Forum organised by the Cyber Security Authority as part of the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month.
She said that although the internet offered children valuable opportunities for learning, communication and development, it also exposed them to technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse.
“While acknowledging the positive opportunities the internet offers, children also face significant risks of harm online,” Ms Yoshikawa said.
She cited more than 51,000 CyberTipline reports in 2025 related to child sexual abuse material being accessed, shared or produced from Ghana, describing the increase from the 2016 figure as substantial.
Ms Yoshikawa stressed that the growing scale of the reports underscored the need for stronger national responses to protect children in an evolving digital environment.
She also highlighted the responsibility of parents and caregivers in helping children navigate the internet safely, saying they needed adequate information, guidance and support to identify potential threats and respond appropriately.
According to her, the WeProtect Model National Response emphasises the need to equip parents and caregivers with the knowledge and resources to prevent technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
The UNICEF specialist called for sustained efforts to ensure that child protection measures kept pace with developments in internet connectivity and digital technology.
The forum formed part of broader national efforts to improve online safety awareness, strengthen digital parenting and promote safer internet use among children.
The reported figures refer to CyberTipline reports associated with Ghana and do not, on their own, establish the number of individual victims or confirmed criminal cases.
