Africa: 1 in 5 Children Across 21 Countries Have Experienced Tech-Facilitated Sexual Exploitation and Abuse - Unicef

What the report says

UNICEF has released a new report warning that technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse of children is widespread across the digital environment. The findings, published in New York and distributed through AllAfrica on 3 September 2026, estimate that about 20 million children aged 12 to 17 in 21 countries experienced at least one form of this abuse in a single year.

The report, titled Through Children’s Eyes: How Digital Technologies Enable Child Sexual Abuse, combines survey data with testimonies from children. UNICEF says more than half of the reported abuse took place on mainstream social media platforms, while online games were also a notable setting. The report also says that many cases involved someone the child already knew, such as a peer, friend, romantic partner, or family member, challenging the assumption that online abuse usually comes from strangers.

UNICEF said the harm is often severe and underreported. It estimates that large shares of children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, pressured into sexual conversations or image sharing, or had private sexual images shared without consent. The organization said fewer than 1% of incidents were reported to authorities, and many children did not know where to seek help.

The report urges governments, technology companies, and other stakeholders to improve platform safety, strengthen laws and enforcement, and expand reporting and support systems for children. It also calls for broader social and family support measures to reduce vulnerability and better protect children online.