[APCPress] Women'sNet South Africa "Keep your Chats Exactly That!" Young people and internet, new campaign

[Karen Higgs]

Dear members of the press - We think you may find this new campaign by 
South Africans Women'sNet on helping young people to keep themselves 
safe on internet and mobile phones of real interest. Best wishes - Karen
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*R U Ready 2 Talk? Women'sNet/Girls'Net Launches a New Campaign*

For immediate release 15 May 2009

In Johannesburg today an innovative new campaign was launched that aims 
to ensure that young people are empowered to use their cellphones and 
the Internet for positive self expression. The campaign was launched by 
Girls'Net, a daughter project of Women'sNet.

Says Faith Nkomo of Girls'Net “80% of young people have access to a 
cellphone – we must be acting to make sure we take advantage of this 
tool to help young people access opportunities and create positive 
social spaces to interact in”.

The campaign aims to undertake public education on safe use of mobile 
social networks, engage with educators and learners on safe and 
responsible use, and will work with service providers, partners and 
stakeholders on making cyberspace a safe space. “Why should cyber space 
be any different to our streets and homes – where violence against women 
and girls is commonplace?” asked Sally-Jean Shackleton, Women'sNet 
Director “our activism must be as present in cyber space as it is in the 
streets "we must challenge sexism, address harassment and help young 
people to engage about the issues relevant to them".

Also at the launch was NGO Love Life's Duncan Harling who talked about a 
new mobile social network initiated by the organisation, MYMsta. Harling 
emphasized the responsibility of adults to protect and enable young 
people to use technology for their own development. Goodness Zulu from 
the Film and Publications Board, talked about the Board's Pro-Child 
website and the work they do on preventing and address child 
pornography. She noted that sometimes children, unknowingly, produce 
porn themselves "taking explicit pictures of themselves," and, she said, 
parents' ignorance of technology is stopping them from getting involved.

William Bird from Media Monitoring Africa presented that organisations' 
work with children and media “while children are 40% of the population 
they feature in a mere 6% of news coverage” he said, and this was 
reduced to a pitiful 0.08% during the recent national elections.

The campaign launch concluded with a session on planning campaign 
activities and identifying potential partners. If you would like more 
information send a message to _girlsnet at womensnet.org.za_ or call us on 
00-27-11 429-0000.

Issued by Women'sNet

_http://womensnet.org.za_

*More links*

Watch presentations: http://www.qik.com/sallyjean

Film and Publications Board Pro-Child website: 
_http://www.fpbprochild.org.za_

Media Monitoring Africa: _http://www.mediamonitoringafrica.org/_

Love Life: _http://www.lovelife.org.za/_