First Lady of Ghana, Lordina Mahama has called on world leaders to prioritise the safety of children in the digital age, warning that while technology provides major opportunities, it also exposes young people to serious risks.
Speaking at the Fostering the Future Together Global Coalition Summit in Washington, D.C., Mrs Mahama thanked Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States, for hosting the event and shared a personal reflection on the mixed impact of modern technology on children.
She highlighted the rapid expansion of the digital world, noting that nearly seven in ten people globally are active on social media platforms.
In Ghana alone, she said, between eight and fifteen million internet users are largely young people.
Referring to remarks made by John Dramani Mahama during the country’s Independence Day address, Mrs Mahama said today’s children have access to tools unimaginable to previous generations.
“Our children belong to a generation equipped with tools that earlier generations could scarcely imagine,” she said. “In their hands, a smartphone serves as a classroom, a business hub, a creative space and a gateway to the global economy.”
However, she warned that without effective safeguards, the same technology could expose children to harm. She cited research suggesting that one in five young victims of cyberbullying avoids school as a result.
Mrs Mahama said Ghana had begun taking steps to address the challenge by strengthening legislation, improving enforcement and launching the Safer Digital Ghana campaign aimed at raising awareness and tackling online abuse.
The two-day summit seeks to strengthen global cooperation on protecting children online, building on international initiatives such as the UN’s Children and Digital report and the Digital Services Act adopted by the European Union.
