Buea: Youths gain skills on digital rights, online safety.

It was held under the theme “Youth Democratic Engagement: Amplifying Youth Voices for Safe Digital Spaces”.

The training, held Saturday January 31, 2026 in Buea, was organised by YODE-AYOVOSDIS and targeted young Cameroonians aged 15 to 35 who are passionate about digital rights and online safety.

The training comes at a time when society is plagued by misinformation, disinformation, fake news, cyberbullying and a rising rate of online frauds.

The workshop provided a platform for young people to advocate, engage and take the lead in building safe digital spaces where democracy can thrive.

Having previously trained hundreds of youths in Yaoundé and Bamenda, the organisers brought together selected digital experts from different fields in Buea to exchange ideas and receive hands-on training from facilitators on digital rights. 

The goal was to equip them with practical skills to avoid falling victim to online frauds, hackers and other cyber threats.

Speaking during the event, Sylvie Ngum Chiabi, promoter of Heart of Hope Cameroon, described the initiative as timely and necessary. 

She noted that the cyberspace has become increasingly unsafe, especially for young people. 

“Our cyberspace is insecure and our children are bullied every day on online platforms. This project seeks to address online bullying, hate speech and cyber insecurity,” she said.

Ngum further emphasised that digital spaces are here to stay and urged the youths to understand their rights and make responsible use of the knowledge gained. 

She called on them to apply the training to curb harmful online behaviour and contribute to building a safer and more responsible digital community where internet users can enjoy their rights without fear.

Participants were also drilled on practical techniques to help navigate the digital space effectively. 

The skills acquired are expected to support them in other areas of life, including research, development of online platforms, business promotion and the creation of positive digital content.

For his part, Monitoring and Evaluation Personnel of the project, Kanal Louis, encouraged participants to serve as ambassadors of safe digital practices. 

“They are now ambassadors advocating for the safe use of digital space. The skills and knowledge they have acquired will also help them in other aspects of life, especially in the effective use of digital tools,” he stated.

The training also focused on digital rights in Cameroon and beyond, stressing the importance of navigating the internet freely while respecting the rights of others and complying with the laws of the land. Particular emphasis was placed on privacy, a key issue in the digital age.

Participants were introduced to institutions they can turn to when their digital rights are violated. 

The institutions include the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies, ANTIC, the Telecommunications Regulatory Board, ART, the courts and the judicial police responsible for cybercrime investigations.

Reacting to the training, one of the participants, Obia Saron, said he plans to use storytelling as a tool to highlight the challenges youths face in the digital space and draw the attention of government authorities.

With over 300 youths now trained across Yaoundé, Bamenda and Buea, organizers hope the beneficiaries will make better use of digital platforms, respect the rights of others, report cases of abuse and use the internet for the collective good of society.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3692 of Tuesday February 03, 2026