Safer Internet Day

The overall objective of the Saferinternet RO project, sigur.info, is to promote Internet safety for children by establishing a Romanian combined Node consisting of a Hotline, a Helpline and awareness activities. Beside this, the project aims to provide teachers, parents and child protection specialists with knowledge and tools for protecting their children in the new technological environment. The node that is developing this project in Romania is created by a Consortium comprising two non-governmental organizations and one company with extensive expertise in areas directly connected to children’s rights, to child protection and to the current technologies which might call for special preventive measures. Save the Children Romania (as program’s CO) has been developing, ever since 1990, social and educational programs for all children, child rights monitoring activities, paying special attention to children in difficulty.
Positive Media, developer of genium.ro and sigur.info portals, dedicated for safe internet navigation, is involved in the promotion of several projects Pro-Life, against alcoholism, drug consumption, as well as support programs for the elderly, children and disadvantaged families.

The Romanian Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children – FOCUS has had an important contribution in the decrease of child disappearance and sexual exploitation phenomena through: awareness campaigns for parents and children, mass media involvement, authorities and volunteers' activities.

Safer Internet Day 2013 in Romania

In light of previous years' experience, the Consortium has organised a contest for children, schools and teachers, inviting them to send their creations (clips, ppt, pictures, websites) reflecting this year's theme: Connect with Respect! (Vrem respect pe Internet!). There are over 900 projects in total, involving more than 2500 children, and the winners will be rewarded during an award ceremony which will take place in Bucharest on the 5th of February. At the award ceremony, pupils from other schools in Bucharest will be invited, the total number of participants reaching 200. On the same day, a parallel press conference will take place involving representatives of the Ministry of Education and Police. During the conference, the school guide which is in draft version will be presented for the public along with conclusions from the work of Police and Hotline. 

The contest and day were promoted through an online campaign - RESPLS - in which bloggers - famous or not - have put up banners and updates on social mediaand articles encouraging their readers to act with respect on the Internet

Local events will also be held in around 15 schools throughout the country,with Save the Children volunteers presenting the concept of the day to classes in those schools.