A unique initiative funded by the 6th Call for Proposals of the Western Balkans Fund addresses the dangers posed by social media platforms to 10-11-year-old children.
The Mediawise Project, led by the emerging CSO “Education Empowerment Initiative (EEI)” in Prishtina, confronts cyberbullying and the potential online exploitation of children.
In a long interview at the largest Radio-Television in Kosovo*, the public RTK channel, which we publicly thank for the space provided to raise awareness for such an important topic, the director of EEI, Blerta Aliu Ahmeti, explained in detail how the project is being implemented simultaneously in Prishtina, Skopje, Tetovo and Tirana.
“Thanks to the financial backing of the Western Balkans Fund, we facilitate mentoring sessions in various schools, promoting the safe use of digital media among children. Today, children are regular consumers of digital media and are thus vulnerable to addiction and other emerging threats,” Ms. Aliu Ahmeti highlighted.
“According to our research, over 80% of children in a classroom frequently use platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube Shorts. They face constant risks of exploitation and cyberbullying. Our aim is to raise awareness among children, parents, and educators.”
To better understand these threats, EEI conducts nationwide surveys among different target groups, with the findings set to be released by the project’s conclusion.
For successful project implementation, EEI collaborates with the Center for Excellence Destiny in Tirana and the Women in Science Network in Skopje.
Follow the full RTK interview of Ms. Blerta Aliu Ahmeti below.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
