Interpol Briefed on Efforts to Combat Cybercrimes Against Children

An Interpol delegation received an in-depth briefing on Thursday regarding the government’s ongoing efforts to address cybercrimes targeting children.

The briefing took place at the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat as part of broader initiatives to fight online child exploitation.

The team was led by Gabriela Javera Chamorro Concha, the Criminal Intelligence Officer from Interpol’s Crimes Against Children Unit.

During the session, officials highlighted various steps taken to ensure children’s safety, such as the establishment of a dedicated ‘grievance commissioner’ tasked with overseeing issues affecting children.

The commissioner monitors media coverage to identify cases of violence against children and collaborates with parliament to support legislative reforms.

while addressing systemic challenges through stakeholder engagement.

The Interpol team was informed that the Office of the Grievance Commissioner for Children has actively pursued cases related to cybercrimes and identified critical intervention areas.

These include raising awareness, training media professionals, advocating for policy changes, and building capacity within key institutions.

The officials also briefed the delegation on their ongoing efforts to spread public service messages through various platforms, including Pemra, PTV, PBC, PTA, and social media, to promote child protection.

Additionally, the team was briefed on the Zainab Alert and Response and Recovery Act of 2020, which aims to provide a comprehensive framework for responding to child abductions and exploitation cases.

The Interpol delegation expressed appreciation for the steps being taken to safeguard children, particularly in the area of cybercrime prevention.

They also stressed the importance of fostering international cooperation and sharing best practices to strengthen collective efforts in this area.