UNICEF and Millicom team up for a safer Internet world for children

UNICEF and Millicom have formally agreed to a three-year alliance to improve respect for children’s rights in the telecommunication sector. The partnership will strive for positive change within the industry through pilot implementation of the Children’s Rights and Business Principles and the UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Guidelines for Industry on Child Online Protection.

Millicom and UNICEF plan to create standards for good practice in the telecommunication sector that protect children online and respect their right to privacy, freedom of thought, opinion, culture and safety. Children and young people face an increasing number of risks online, from targeted marketing using their personal information to bullying and harassment, identity theft and online abuse.

The alliance seeks to:

· Map the risks to and opportunities for children’s rights in the telecommunication sector and in specific operational settings

· Develop and promote industry-specific guidance on how the telecommunication sector can improve respect for children’s rights, specifically through implementing the Children’s Rights and Business Principles and

· Develop case studies on lessons learned in implementing the Children’s Rights and Business Principles and the UNICEF and ITU Guidelines for Industry on Child Online Protection.

UNICEF and Millicom have been in discussions since 2012, when Millicom provided feedback on UNICEF’s Children’s Rights and Business Principles tools for implementation. Millicom then piloted UNICEF’s Children’s Rights Checklist at its operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Subsequently, Millicom and UNICEF began formalizing their collaboration to outline future work and to ensure that their common objectives were met.

Millicom’s Executive Vice President of Strategic Operations and Partnerships, Rachel Samrén said: “Companies have many strategic and direct ways to influence children’s lives positively, beyond charity work or fighting child labour. At Millicom, we always ‘demand more’ and so we are proud to be at the forefront of putting into action the great work with UNICEF that takes a wider perspective on business responsibility and children.”

"UNICEF is committed to working with business to identify the shared value that can be created when improving child rights within each industry,” said Gérard Bocquenet, UNICEF Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships. “We are proud to join Millicom in identifying how children can be better protected online in this growing virtual world. It is truly an important issue that is increasingly relevant to children everywhere."

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information, please visit www.unicef.org. Follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/unicef)and Facebook (http://facebook.com/unicef)

About Millicom

Millicom is a leading international telecommunications and media company dedicated to emerging markets in Latin America and Africa. Operating in fourteen countries, primarily under the Tigo brand, we have over 50 million customers and employ more than 16,000 people. Founded in 1990, Millicom is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. Child protection has been at the centre of our corporate responsibility and social community engagement activities. The company has used digital innovation to promote ICT in education, solutions to maternal health and to provide birth certificates to babies and young children. For more information please visit www.millicom.com. Follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Millicom) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/millicom).

UNICEF: UNICEF Corporate Social Responsibility, csr@unicef.org

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