The First Lady of Ghana, Lordina Dramani Mahama, has called on global leaders to place child safety at the centre of digital policy discussions, stressing that while technology offers enormous opportunities, it also presents serious risks to children around the world.
Speaking at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit in Washington, D.C., Mrs Mahama expressed appreciation to the United States First Lady, Melania Trump, for hosting the event and used a personal story to illustrate the double-edged impact of digital technology on young people.
She noted the rapid growth of the digital space, explaining that nearly seven in ten people globally are active on social media. In Ghana alone, she said between 8 and 15 million internet users are largely young people, highlighting how deeply digital technology has become part of youth development, education, and communication.
Referencing the Independence Day address delivered by President John Dramani Mahama, the First Lady stated that today’s children belong to a generation with access to tools previous generations could hardly imagine.
“Our children belong to a generation equipped with tools that earlier generations could scarcely imagine. In their hands, a smartphone serves as a classroom, a business hub, a creative space, and a gateway to the global economy,” she said.
Despite the opportunities, Mrs Mahama warned that without proper supervision and protective policies, technology could expose children to serious dangers, including cyberbullying, exploitation, and harmful content. She cited studies indicating that one in five young victims of cyberbullying avoids school as a result, demonstrating the real-life impact of online abuse on education and mental health.
She noted that Ghana has taken steps to address these concerns through stronger laws, improved enforcement, and the rollout of the Safer Digital Ghana campaign aimed at raising awareness and reducing online abuse among children and young people.
The two-day global summit brought together policymakers, child protection experts, technology companies, and development partners to strengthen international cooperation on child online protection. The discussions also built on international frameworks such as the UN Children and Digital report and the European Union Digital Services Act, which seek to improve online safety for children worldwide.
Mrs Mahama concluded by urging global leaders, technology companies, parents, and educators to work together to ensure that the digital world remains a place of opportunity and not a source of harm for children.
She emphasized that protecting children online must be treated as a global responsibility, not just a national issue, as the internet connects children across borders and cultures.