A new portal aimed at protecting children against sexual abuse online was launched on 10 June 2021 by the Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors and Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), in co-operation with the Global Partnership ‘End Violence against Children‘, the South Programme IV and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Tunisia becomes the 47th country in the world to adopt this type of portal set up by IWF, the 23rd country in Africa and is among the first countries in the MENA region.

The spread of child sexual abuse material on the Internet is a global phenomenon requiring responsibility at the national level for all countries, as well as enhanced international co-operation.

This reporting portal contributes to the national process against sexual cyberviolence on children, as well as to societal accountability. It will allow Tunisian citizens to securely and anonymously report online images and videos of sexual abuse in order to have them removed.

The launch of the portal complements national efforts initiated in Tunisia and aimed at enhancing protection measures for children , namely the revision of the legal framework related to the rights of the child, including the Child Protection Code, as well as the establishment of the Action Plan on combating cyberviolence and cybernetic dangers against children (2019-2020).

Moreover, Tunisia is the 45th State having ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention) which criminalizes all kinds of sexual offences committed against children. Article 23 of the Lanzarote Convention criminalises solicitation of children for sexual purposes through information and communication technologies ("grooming").

Through this portal, set up thanks to a global partnership, Tunisia will benefit from a technological tool which will strengthen national efforts aimed at the protection of children against abuse and sexual exploitation online.

Ms Imene Houimel, Minister of Women, Family, Children and Seniors, Mr Marcus Cornaro, European Union Ambassador to Tunisia, Mr Chokri Maatoug, Director General of Children, Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors, Ms Pilar Morales, Head of the Programming Department of the Council of Europe (Office of the Directorate General of Programmes) and Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tunisia ad interim, Ms Marilena Viviani, representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICF) in Tunisia, Mr Anthony Surleraux, Manager of ’Child Safety Applied Sciences’ at Google, as well as other key actors in the field of children safety and cybersecurity, took part in the launching event.

Link to the portal : https://report.iwf.org.uk/tn

The South Programme IV is a joint programme of the Council of Europe and the European Union, financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.