Red PaPaz breaks new ground in Latin America

Red PaPaz has developed a whole ecosystem of initiatives to protect children and adolescents from child sexual abuse in Columbia and Latin America, including a hotline, a research centre and youth initiatives.

Key points

• Established a comprehensive programme to prevent and respond to online dangers affecting young people in Latin America 
• The Safer Internet Center – Viguías created a comprehensive ecosystem involving government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society, parents, educators and aggressors.  
• Worked with international partners to draw on best practice globally. 
• Successfully introduced a hotline for processing and reporting cases of CSAM and cyberbullying; an Awareness and Research Centre to create content and support advocacy; participation of young people in efforts to strengthen the protective digital ecosystem and a helpline targeting potential aggressors, 
• In 2023, “Te Protejo” was the top reporter of CSAM in Latin America to INHOPE and sixth globally.   

The problem

The “Safer Internet Center – Viguías” project was developed to address the growing need to protect children and adolescents in Colombia from online sexual abuse and exploitation. More than 92% of reports in 2020 were related to Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and cyberbullying. These alarming statistics highlighted significant gaps in the country’s ability to handle these issues. The lack of a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach to online safety, coupled with the increasing complexity of digital threats, underscored the urgency of establishing a comprehensive programme to prevent and respond to online dangers affecting young people. 

The solution

The Safer Internet Center – Viguías was developed by Red PaPaz to enhance national capacities for preventing and addressing child abuse and exploitation in digital environments. The project aimed to create a comprehensive ecosystem involving government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society, parents, educators, and even potential aggressors. The initiative includes four key components: 

1. a hotline, which helps reduce the workload of law enforcement by processing and reporting cases of CSAM and cyberbullying.  

2. an Awareness and Research Centre, focusing on creating content and generating evidence-based advocacy actions.  

3. youth initiatives, which involve young people directly in efforts to strengthen the protective digital ecosystem.  

4. a helpline directed at potential aggressors, based on international models to prevent harmful behaviour. 

The initiative partnered with national organisations, including the National Institute of Family Welfare, Aulas en Paz and the National Police and others, as well as international partners Safe Online, INHOPE, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, Swansea University and Protect Children from Finland.  

Together, they worked to integrate innovative approaches to tailor global best practices to the Colombian context. 

The impact 

The Safer Internet Center – Viguías has achieved significant impact since its inception.  

By July 2024, the “Te Protejo” hotline had processed over 218,000 reports, with more than 80% related to online exploitation and abuse. The hotline also processed over 175,000 URLs of public websites sharing CSAM, significantly contributing to global efforts through the INHOPE platform. In 2023, “Te Protejo” was the top reporter within INHOPE of CSAM in Latin America and sixth globally.  

The initiative has also expanded to reach 276 municipalities across Colombia, demonstrating its broad national reach.  

“Te Guío,” another component, provided guidance on harmful sexual behaviours to 60 users, showcasing the project’s commitment to addressing online safety comprehensively.  

The Awareness and Research Centre has filled critical information gaps, supporting innovative technological tools for online safety and collaborating on key research projects, conducting over seven research studies and projects that have improved public awareness and guided interventions aimed at protecting children online.  

These research efforts have focused on understanding the digital habits of children and adolescents, assessing the effectiveness of online safety campaigns, and identifying emerging threats in the digital landscape in Colombia and Latin America context.  

The youth initiative “Tú Lideras” has empowered 51  initiatives by young people to advocate for their rights, further solidifying the project’s impact. 

Beyond its direct impact in Colombia, Viguías has inspired and supported the creation of similar initiatives across Latin America, including  Mexico, Argentina, and Bolivia.  

By setting a regional example, Viguías has facilitated the establishment of reporting hotlines and Safer Internet Centers, fostering greater collaboration between civil society and authorities throughout the region.  

The success of Viguías has made it a reference point in Latin America, promoting the development of comprehensive strategies for online child protection. 

Lessons learned 

Several key lessons have emerged from the Safer Internet Center – Viguías initiative.  

Firstly, multi-sector collaboration with international partners and local stakeholders was essential for adapting global best practices to the Colombian context.  

Working with government institutions, civil society organizations, the private sector and young people has been key to creating a more robust protective ecosystem.  

Additionally, the need for continuous innovation and adaptation in response to the evolving digital landscape was clear.  

One area for improvement would be increasing efforts to integrate more comprehensive pedagogical components, particularly for families, educators and caregivers, to strengthen preventive measures at the community level.