E4J materials: an integral part of El Salvador's national school campaign on cybercrime prevention

02 October 2018 - Under the slogan ' Enjoy and take care of yourself on the Internet,' the Ministry of Education of El Salvador, through its Vice Ministry of Science and Technology, has launched a national campaign using UNODC educational materials. Developed by the Education for Justice (E4J) initiative, a component of the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, the materials included The Online Zoo book and modules designed to assist teachers in early media education as they explain to children the challenges of being online.

UNODC worked with the Ministry of Education to address the cybercrime phenomenon in El Salvador's schools, resulting in the implementation of the National Strategy for the Prevention of Cybercrime, including specialized training for teachers, the development of audiovisual and printed materials for schools, the installation of permanent exhibitions at the Interactive Centers for Science Learning (CIAC), the promotion of cultural activities through which the message of prevention is transmitted, and a campaign of message diffusion in social media networks.

Audiovisual and printed materials for schools (such as illustrated books, animated videos and posters) have been developed as part of the Enjoy and take care of yourself on the Internet campaign, which itself is based on six thematic areas: cybersecurity, Internet privacy, sexting, grooming, sextortion, and cyberbullying. The campaign aims to inform and prevent the main cybercrimes that affect children, and to emphasize the importance of preserving privacy and safety on the Internet. Furthermore, it seeks to promote life skills and to guide children on the safe and responsible use of the Internet, with the aim to fulfill the enjoyment of their rights, and promote available and relevant information to them in order to prevent them from becoming victims or offenders of cybercrime.

The materials were presented during the launch in San Salvador by the Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Erlinda Hándal Vega, who said that "the national strategy for the prevention of cybercrime is essential to make visible, educate, train and prevent the phenomenon of cybercrime, since many people do not know it in the country." She stressed the importance of visibility, adding that "you cannot solve problems that are not identified. Therefore, we want all children in the country to know about how to prevent Internet risks."

Telefónica Business El Salvador, a strategic partner working on similar initiatives as part of its Responsible Business programme, supported the campaign. Speaking at the launch, Communications Chief Karla Ramos Majano emphasized that "today's digital revolution generates great social benefits, but at the same time it also poses new challenges that must be addressed as crimes on the Internet."

UNODC's Deputy Chief in El Salvador, Nayelly Loya Marin, welcoming the presence of the Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Qatar in San Salvador, Tariq Othman Al-Othman, noted that "in El Salvador, the Government of Qatar has partnered with UNODC to support the prevention of a new form of crime that has unfortunately come to stay: cybercrime. It focuses on the younger population, which although may be the most vulnerable, is also the only one that can change the course of the country in the long term."

These educational resources were developed with the financial support of the State of Qatar, in the implementation of UNODC's 'Education for Justice: Prevention of Cybercrime in the Central America Region' project, and with the support of Telefónica El Salvador.

Additional information:
Education for Justice
UNODC Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean