EU support for Safer Internet Centres in Western Balkans contributes to the establishment of the Regional Network
As part of efforts to ensure the safety of children and young people in the digital space, the European Union has expanded support for Safer Internet Centres in Western Balkan countries. Thanks to this support, the Centres have strengthened their cooperation, which has led, among other things, to the establishment of the Regional Network of Safer Internet Centres in the Western Balkans, strengthening cooperation between countries to address common challenges.
IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: SIC Albania, Bosnia and Croatia in partnership with CSOs in Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia
COUNTRY: Albania, with the participation of all six Western Balkan countries (WB6)
DURATION: October 2024 – ongoing
OVERVIEW
The initiative “Establishment of the Network of Children’s Digital Safety Centers in the Western Balkans – WB-SIC” is a joint regional effort to enhance the protection of children from online risks at a time when the digital environment is becoming increasingly unsafe for children and youth. This initiative aims to improve child protection from digital harms across six Western Balkan countries through the creation of a regional network – the WB-SIC Network. The network brings together actors and organizations working on online child safety, fostering collaboration among them and with state institutions. The goal is to establish a coordinated approach to protecting children from online threats such as sexual abuse, cyberbullying, and harmful content.
Western Balkan countries face common challenges in this field, including the lack of sustainable mechanisms for reporting and addressing online incidents affecting children, limited institutional capacities, and gaps in legislation and its enforcement. In 2023 alone, more than 13,000 online incidents involving children were recorded and reported by partner organizations in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. These cases included various forms of online violence such as cyberbullying, sextortion, exposure to harmful content, and trafficking networks operating through social media. These figures indicate an alarming situation that requires coordinated intervention and immediate action at the regional level.
This initiative not only strengthens local capacities to protect children online but also serves as a model for regional cooperation, with the potential to be expanded and institutionalized through stronger political and international mechanisms.
OBJECTIVES
WB-SIC aims to create a functional network of digital safety centers for children to achieve the following objectives:
- Strengthen and promote regional cooperation on online child protection.
- Develop and enhance national mechanisms such as helplines and hotlines in all Western Balkan countries.
- Apply the National Response Model (NRM) to assess and improve institutional approaches.
- Harmonize policies and legal frameworks for online child protection across the region.
- Establish a sustainable platform for collaboration between organizations, state institutions, and international actors.
- Increase awareness of digital safety among children, parents, and professionals.
KEY ACTIVITIES
- Establishment of the WB-SIC Network – A regional network of Children’s Internet Safety Centers was created with the participation of six countries in the region.
- Development of a Joint Declaration – Preparation and signing of a joint declaration by the partners outlining commitments and priority areas for cooperation.
- Application of the National Response Model (NRM) – Adoption of the NRM as a tool to strengthen policies and approaches to OCSEA (Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse).
- Organization of roundtables with key stakeholders to raise awareness on children’s online risks, supported by evidence from national review reports.
- Delivery of capacity-building training for professionals working with and for children, focusing on prevention and response to online abuse.
- Implementation of awareness campaigns and creation of youth advisory groups to inform and engage youth, potential victims, perpetrators, and the wider community.
RESULTS AND IMPACT
- A functional and coordinated regional network for children’s digital safety was established.
- A collaborative platform was created for sharing experiences, challenges, and solutions among countries.
- Awareness increased regarding the need for a unified approach in national policies and institutional practices.
SUCCESS FACTORS
- The Digital Europe Programme’s support for the first time included support to two organisations in the Western Balkans, for countries aspiring to become EU members.
- Long-standing experience of implementing organizations in online child protection.
- Close cooperation with international partners such as INHOPE and ECPAT.
- Evidence-based interventions are supported by concrete data and research.
LESSONS LEARNED
- The absence of hotlines and helplines in some countries poses a serious barrier to child protection.
- Greater institutional and financial support is needed for actors working in this field.
- Training and capacity-building of state actors is essential for effective intervention.
REPLICABILITY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- The establishment of such networks can be replicated in other regions facing similar challenges.
- Countries without existing helplines or hotlines should prioritize their establishment as it can strengthen their work, coordination, share of duties and best available expertise, while increase protection of children in the digital space.
- The use of the National Response Model and cross-border cooperation are crucial to success.