Dili, June 24, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The National Institute for Children’s Rights (INDDICA), in collaboration with UNICEF Timor-Leste, held a national forum on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to strengthen online child protection. The forum took place at the Hotel Timor conference room in Dili, on Monday.
In an interview, INDDICA President Dinorah Granadeiro stated that this national forum is very important, given the increasing use of technology by children. INDDICA, together with government agencies, civil society organizations, child-focused organizations, and women’s organizations, gathered to discuss the issue.
“Today we are conducting a national conference, or rather a national ICT forum, the first of its kind ever held in Timor-Leste, organized in collaboration with UNICEF, INDDICA, and the Ministry of Transport and Communications, to address issues faced by children who use technology and are vulnerable to online abuse,” said INDDICA President Dinorah Granadeiro.
She explained that the forum has four main objectives, one of which is to follow up on commitments previously presented at the ministerial-level GOGOTA conference in Colombia regarding child protection issues.
“The presentations we have made abroad include important points such as online safety for younger children, how to monitor and protect them from online abuse, as well as following up on discussions at the ASEAN regional ICT conference held last year, in which Timor-Leste’s delegation participated and committed to organizing this national forum,” said Dinorah Granadeiro.
Another objective is to review mechanisms that can be implemented at the national level to ensure that children safely and responsibly use online platforms.
“When we talk about violence against children, we also talk about child protection. These mechanisms aim to ensure that our children access educational and developmental information, while also involving parents to take full responsibility in supervising their children’s use of online platforms as needed. This is the main goal of today’s forum,” emphasized Dinorah.
She reaffirmed that INDDICA will continue to collaborate with the government and various associations to ensure the protection of children who are already accessing the internet, even at a young age. INDDICA will also continue raising awareness among parents to take full responsibility for their children’s online safety.
UNICEF Representative in Timor-Leste, Patrizia DiGiovanni, expressed her gratitude for participating in this national ICT forum, which brings together key stakeholders from the government, civil society, and development partners to reflect on how to strengthen collective efforts in protecting children from online abuse and addressing children’s increasing use of technology.
“On behalf of UNICEF Timor-Leste, I would like to congratulate the Government of Timor-Leste, through INDDICA and ministerial focal points, for organizing this national ICT forum to examine mechanisms for protecting children who are using the internet,” said Patrizia DiGiovanni.
UNICEF is proud to support this process both technically and financially. In partnership with the government and other partners, UNICEF is working to strengthen Timor-Leste’s national child protection system, while closely addressing emerging risks in digital spaces and ensuring children’s rights to protection across all environments.
Deputy Prime Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino highlighted the significance of this national ICT forum organized by INDDICA and UNICEF, especially as it discusses technology use among young children who are already using it despite their young age.
“We can fully benefit from the internet, including platforms like Google, as part of digitalization that opens the world to children’s knowledge. However, we must also create safeguards to prevent harm to young children’s minds. That is why this forum is very important for INDDICA, UNICEF, and the government to discuss what protection measures the government should establish for these young users,” said Deputy Prime Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino.
The seminar’s outcome encourages the government to consider forming a task force to socialize and draft necessary laws to regulate children’s internet use and work with partners to review any required reforms in the system to ensure child protection for the future.
“Looking at education, health, and social sectors, along with international agencies, is important because if we aim to educate children, they should not rely solely on the internet but also be encouraged to read books and use mental calculation skills. Parents should also train their children to use their minds and not depend entirely on technology such as the internet or calculators,” the Deputy Prime Minister added.
He emphasized that parents must not leave their children entirely free to depend on technology but rather guide them in using devices to expand knowledge through education. He noted that while Timor-Leste does not yet have internet restrictions, children currently have free access to it. Therefore, the forum aims to work toward establishing regulations that would better control internet use as part of digitalization in Timor-Leste.
He again called on parents to closely monitor their children’s internet use, encouraging responsible usage that supports learning, while guiding them to develop knowledge through proper educational methods rather than full reliance on technology, which could weaken their independent thinking.
Reporter: Domingas
Photo: Domingas