Saif bin Zayed inaugurates WeProtect Global Summit in Abu Dhabi

Extending a warm welcome to attendees, Sheikh Saif conveyed greetings from President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He emphasised that "protecting children goes beyond a moral obligation; it is a shared responsibility for all."

He highlighted that children represent the cornerstone of the future, and prioritising their security is an investment in a sustainable tomorrow.

Sheikh Saif noted that "with the vision of the wise leadership, the UAE has become a leader in child protection." Under the leadership and vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the country remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting global initiatives that ensure the protection of children across all domains.

Reflecting on a decade of progress, he highlighted the WeProtect Alliance's growth, now encompassing 100 government organisations, 75 private sector entities, and 130 civil society and international governmental organisations.

His Highness Sheikh Saif urged stakeholders to address digital age challenges, calling for strengthened partnerships with global technology companies. He encouraged corporations to leverage artificial intelligence and innovative technologies to create secure digital spaces for children to grow and thrive.

Acknowledging the foundational role of families, Sheikh Saif highlighted that families remain the primary line of defence in safeguarding children and guiding them toward the responsible use of technology. He stressed the importance of equipping families with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate digital challenges and raise a conscientious and responsible generation.

Summarising the essential nature of this work, His Highness reaffirmed that the world's future hinges on the provisions made for children today. He called for collective efforts to bolster digital integrity and establish a safe, nurturing environment to pave the way for a brighter, safer future for children.

Sheikh Saif emphasised, "We are dedicated to stepping up global collaboration in the effort to safeguard children."

The summit's opening was attended by various high-level international officials, including ministers from Belarus, the Philippines, Seychelles, Kosovo, Serbia, Turkey, Tanzania, and Nepal, as well as representatives from the WeProtect Global Alliance and other government officials from within and beyond the UAE.

The WeProtect Global Summit in Abu Dhabi brought together global leaders from governments, NGOs, the private sector, innovators, and advocates, all united by a common mission to protect children from online violence, sexual abuse, and various forms of exploitation.

This summit highlighted the critical need to prioritize the protection of children online, especially in light of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence. Governments and law enforcement agencies around the world must make child protection a priority, as children are increasingly exposed to violent, offensive, and sexually explicit content online.

Such exposure poses serious threats to their well-being, development, and can severely affect both their psychological and physical health. Therefore, it is crucial to unite in the fight against all forms of online violence to protect the most vulnerable members of our societies.

Achieving this requires balancing safety with innovation. While technological innovation should not compromise online safety, it should instead be harnessed to protect children. Governments must collaborate with technology companies to ensure that available and emerging technologies are effectively utilised to combat online violence and child abuse, and global cooperation remains essential.

The UAE's role in hosting this high-profile global summit further underscores its leadership in child protection and its commitment to promoting international collaboration for collective progress, guided by the visionary leadership and core values of the UAE.

For over a decade, the UAE has prioritised the issue of child abuse and exploitation online, becoming a member of WeProtect and consistently participating in and supporting efforts to protect children in the digital world.

The summit commenced with powerful opening remarks from Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior; Iain Drennan, Executive Director of the WeProtect Global Alliance; and Baroness Joanna Shields OBE, Founder and Board Member of WeProtect.

They highlighted WeProtect's success in uniting global efforts to protect children online, emphasising that addressing online child abuse is a challenge that requires collective action and cannot be achieved in isolation.

Nina Jane Patel then addressed the central theme of the summit, focusing on humanity, technology, and the future. She underscored that we are living through one of the most transformative periods in human history, emphasizing that as technological advancements accelerate over the next decade, new threats to children will continue to emerge.

As the digital world becomes increasingly integrated into children’s lives, the spaces where they learn, play, and interact will become more borderless. Patel raised critical questions about the implications of this transformation and how society can respond to ensure online safety for children.

The first plenary session, titled "New Horizons: Emerging Trends Shaping the Future," discussed key emerging risks that may influence child protection over the next decade. WeProtect Global Alliance and Thorn unveiled new research on global technological trends, followed by a panel discussion featuring global experts.

Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn and a board member of WeProtect, launched the report, with contributions from Mama Fatima Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, sexual exploitation, and child abuse; Courtney Gregoire, Vice President and Chief Digital Safety Officer at Microsoft; and Yuhyun Park, Founder of the DQ Institute. The session concluded with a poignant artistic display a sand art performance highlighting the summit’s theme.

In a plenary address titled "Survivors’ Perspectives: Stepping Up for a Safer Future," survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse shared their personal stories and insights.

Moderated by Cornelius Williams, WeProtect Board Member and former UNICEF Global Director for Child Protection, this session featured Mark Neil Ontong, Survivor Consultant and Leader at International Justice Mission; Nina Jane Patel, Futurist and Survivor Advocate; and Kanga Rasi, Head of Africa Region at the Brave Movement. A video message from James Moore, Founder of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, further enriched this impactful session.

This was followed by the "Prevention Strategies" session, which addressed rising rates of child sexual abuse while highlighting critical gaps in prevention and intervention strategies. Moderated by Marija Manojlovic, WeProtect Board Member and Executive Director of Safe Online, speakers included Deborah Dennis, CEO of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation; Aengus Dochartaigh, Director of Outreach at the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse; Nikola Makharashvili, Director of the Safe Futures Hub; and Sean Litton, President and CEO of Tech Coalition.

A session on "Artificial Intelligence and the Future" featured Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications. This was followed by a discussion focused on how AI is creating new challenges in child safety, particularly with AI-generated pornography.

Moderated by Denton Howard, WeProtect Board Member and CEO of INHOPE, panelists included Chelsea Carlson, Director of Child Safety at OpenAI; Yalda Aoukar, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Brackett Foundation; and Fallon McNulty, Director of CyberTipline at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

In a session titled "Health and Wellbeing: Looking After Frontline Responders," research was presented on the health impacts faced by those responding to online child sexual exploitation. This session examined work-related risks and offered recommendations to strengthen practices.

Moderated by Christian Papaleontiou, WeProtect Board Member and Deputy Director of the Exploitation and Abuse Unit at the UK Home Office, speakers included Roberta Sinclair, Director of Strategic Policy and Research at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Michael Marwa, Director of the National Child Helpline Tanzania (C-SEMA); and Nina Vaaranen Valkonen, Executive Director of Child Protection and Psychotherapy.

Aa session titled "A Roadmap for Navigating the Future of Age Assurance," saw participants from various sectors discussed balancing rights and risks in securing the digital age.

Moderated by Helen King, Founder and Director of Praesidio, this session included contributions from Chloe Setter, Public Policy Lead for Child Safety at TikTok; Natascha Gerlach from Information Policy Leadership Centre; Michael Tunks from Ofcom; Liz Thomas from Microsoft; and Liz Curtis from the Ministry of Defence.

The final plenary session focused on national perspectives and future commitments to combat exploitation and abuse and emphasised collaboration between governments and private sectors to enhance strategies against online child exploitation.

In conclusion, the summit served as a vital platform for global collaboration in combating online child exploitation. By uniting diverse perspectives from survivors, experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, it paved the way for innovative solutions and strengthened commitments. The discussions underscored an urgent need for adaptive strategies in response to rapidly evolving technological threats.

Participants were united in the view that as we move forward together in this mission to protect children online, we must harness these insights to create a safer digital world one where every child can thrive free from harm.