Adolescents launch a movement for an internet free of cyberbullying and hate speech

Skopje, 11 February 2025: On the International Safer Internet Day, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia launched a partnership against cyberbullying and hate speech to promote a child-led movement for a more humane online world. 

“This partnership is about giving power, space and tools to children to co-create initiatives that respond to their experiences and daily struggles on the internet. The goals are to equip girls and boys with social skills and strategies, build their resilience, and raise public awareness about the effects of cyberbullying on physical, mental, and emotional health,” said Lesley Miller, UNICEF Representative. “We want to create a movement where children stand up to cyberbullying and are kind online.”

“It is very important for us that everyone has access to the opportunities of the digital world, but hate speech online threatens the safety, respect and inclusiveness of this space. This negative phenomenon especially affects children and young people, who are the most impacted. At this crucial stage of their personal growth and development, it is our responsibility to teach them how to stand against hate and become drivers of positive change,” said Nikola Ljusev, President of the Telekom Foundation for Macedonia.

This two-year initiative is a continuation of the long partnership between UNICEF and the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia in helping children and young people to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing their generation. So far, on the cooperation has provided equal opportunities for the early education of children from rural areas, digital solutions for reducing the barriers faced by children with disabilities, and on digital solutions for tackling climate change.

The purpose of the new partnership is to create amovement for an internet free of cyberbullying and hate speech through education, co-creation and concrete action led by children as advocates who will inspire others to join and expand the movement throughout the country.

UNICEF together with the Telekom Foundation for Macedonia will launch an open call inviting adolescents to join the peer-to-peer programme and social mobilization activities which will be implemented in partnership between Scout Association of Macedonia and UNICEF.