Child SIM on the cards to shield minors from harmful online content

The initiative is being developed jointly by the ministry, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).

According to Dr Gwajima, studies show that 67 percent of children aged between 12 and 17 use smartphones, while four percent have experienced various forms of online violence.

“Through collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and TCRA, the government is in discussions to introduce a Child SIM Card aimed at enhancing children’s safety in the use of technology and communications,” she told Parliament.

The proposed SIM card is expected to include mechanisms that filter and restrict access to content considered inappropriate for children.

The move comes as governments around the world seek ways to protect children from the risks associated with social media and online platforms.

In January this year, Australia began enforcing a ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, covering platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, Threads and YouTube.

Australian authorities said the restrictions were intended to reduce children’s exposure to harmful content and platform features designed to maximise screen time.

A government-commissioned study found that 96 percent of children aged 10 to 15 used social media, with seven in 10 reporting exposure to harmful content, including violent material, misogynistic content and posts promoting eating disorders or self-harm.

The study also found that one in seven children had experienced grooming behaviour online, while more than half reported being victims of cyberbullying.

In Tanzania, the proposed Child SIM Card forms part of a broader effort to strengthen child protection in the digital age.

The ministry plans to prioritise safe internet use for children during the 2026/27 financial year.

Other planned interventions include the construction of 10 safe houses and 184 community daycare centres for children under the age of five.

The government has also expanded awareness programmes on online child safety.

During the current financial year, the ministry trained 516 facilitators who subsequently reached more than 1.8 million students, 679 teachers and 232 non-teaching staff in primary and secondary schools across all 26 regions.

To strengthen policy oversight, the government established the National Advisory Committee on Child Online Safety in 2024.

The committee, which meets quarterly, advises the ministry on emerging digital risks facing children and appropriate policy responses.

One of its recommendations was the introduction of a system capable of filtering and blocking harmful online content accessed by children.

Beyond online safety, the ministry’s budget outlines broader efforts to improve child welfare and social protection.

Between July 2025 and April 2026, the ministry identified and provided support services to 284,308 vulnerable children, including those living and working on the streets and children in conflict with the law.

The interventions included education support, healthcare services, vocational training, alternative care arrangements and family reunification programmes.

The minister also reported progress in addressing violence against children.

Police data show that reported cases of child sexual violence fell from 10,937 in 2024 to 9,902 in 2025.

Despite the decline, Dr Gwajima said the figures remained a concern and called for sustained efforts to eliminate violence against children.

The ministry also continued implementing programmes aimed at supporting small-scale traders and other vulnerable groups.

More than 56,000 informal traders were registered between July 2025 and April 2026, bringing the total number registered since March 2024 to more than 143,000.

Meanwhile, 8,426 small-scale traders accessed concessional loans worth Sh17.9 billion during the same period.

Looking ahead, the ministry says it will focus on strengthening child welfare services, promoting women’s economic empowerment, expanding digital social-service systems and accelerating the formalisation of informal businesses as part of efforts to support the country’s Development Vision 2050.