Child protection advocates are sounding the alarm following the release of a new report that uncovers a troubling rise in cases of online sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) involving children with intellectual disabilities in Kenya. The findings have prompted urgent calls for legal and educational reforms to better protect some of the country’s most vulnerable children.
The report dubbed “Understanding Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children with Intellectual Disabilities,” highlights growing online threats and the lack of inclusive regulations to protect vulnerable children.
(TOP: From left – Megan White Mukuria, founder, ZanaAfrica – Kenya; Josephine Kisilu, Dean of Students, Kenya Insitute of Special Education – KISE ; and Wilson Macharia, Legal Advisor, International Commission of Jurists).
“The country has experienced an upsurge of such violations and one would wonder why the rise at this point in time. It’s even worrying given that the violators according to the studies cut across all social classes,” said Ms Josephine Kisulu, the Dean of Studies at the Kenya Institute of Special Education, while delivering her keynote address.
While access to the internet has increased, children with intellectual disabilities remain unprotected, largely due to systemic gaps in education, law, and community awareness, according to research findings of the report.
“It my hope that the research has produced insights which will be useful to the government agencies and other stake holders to curb the menace or upsurge,” added Ms Kisilu.
The report was commissioned by ZanaAfrica and other key agencies that work at safeguarding the rights of children through education and empowerment.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Megan White Mukuria, Founder of ZanaAfrica, brought a personal and powerful message to the audience, reflecting on her 24 years in Kenya and her journey as a mother, wife, and long-time child advocate. She emphasized that safeguarding children, especially girls and children with intellectual disabilities, has been at the heart of her life’s mission, from her early days working with street-involved girls to founding ZanaAfrica.
“I made a decision: my life’s work would be about unlocking the greatest opportunities for the greatest number of children, especially girls. And that starts with safeguarding,” she said.
Ms Mukuria shared concrete examples of ZanaAfrica’s impact, including reaching over 100,000 girls each month with affordable sanitary products linked to free health and safety resources. She highlighted the Nia Health Link, a hotline and chatbot that has supported over 10,000 users, and discussed the organization’s partnership with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to integrate life skills education into the national curriculum, a move Mukuria said could reach up to 13 million learners. She also described Jasiri Mogul, ZanaAfrica’s trauma-informed school, as part of a broader commitment to building child-centered, Afrocentric education rooted in healing and empowerment.
As the report points to growing online threats faced by children, Mukuria called on all stakeholders, from parents to policymakers, to act urgently and collaboratively. She proposed expanding current tools like Nia Health Link into a national digital safeguarding platform and integrating online safety into existing education frameworks.
“Some 18 million children in Kenya are already exposed to online risks,” she warned. “Let’s prepare now – before scale becomes crisis.” Her message was clear: a coordinated, data-driven, and inclusive approach is essential if Kenya is to lead in protecting its children in an increasingly digital world.
Beatrice Jane, ZanaAfrica Executive Director, stressed the urgency of addressing digital threats facing today’s youth while highlighting the organization’s broader mission to empower adolescents through education and support.
“When adolescents struggle during this pivotal phase of their life, the consequences are dire,” she warned, citing risks like teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, gender-based violence, and long-term poverty. She explained that ZanaAfrica’s work, rooted in four strategic pillars, includes scaling life skills education through its Nia Learning programs, which have already reached over half a million young people.
Beatrice noted that the collaboration of ZanaAfrica with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) is a potential pathway for embedding online safety into formal education. “We see an opportunity where the learnings from this report could in future inform how we sensitize children and youth on online safety through the approved school curriculum,” she said.
ZanaAfrica’s Nia HealthLink platform, offering real-time, toll-free digital support, was highlighted as a vital tool for gathering data on abuse and linking youth to services, while also acting as a model for cross-agency coordination in response to online threats.
Acknowledging recent legal progress such as the Children Act of 2022 and the newly developed 2024 Standard Operating Procedures on OCSEA, Beatrice stressed that policy alone is not enough. “Just like technology, the landscape for online abuse is constantly evolving,” she said. “We have to keep seeking answers to every new challenge that rises.” She concluded by reaffirming ZanaAfrica’s commitment to working with both state and non-state actors to ensure that children in Kenya can navigate the digital world safely and realize their full potential.
According to ZanaAfrica’s Program Manager, Alice Onsarigo, the report addresses a research gap as there is limited research focusing on the experiences of children with intellectual disabilities in the context of OCSEA.
“This report is important in informing policy and practice by shedding light on the specific risks faced by these vulnerable children. It can help guide policy makers, educators and child protection agencies in developing targeted interventions,” she added.
In a similar study conducted by the UN in 2021, out of the 67% children aged 12–17 in Kenya who use the internet, about seven per cent of them had been offered money for sexual images, and another three per cent had been blackmailed to engage in sexual activity online.
According to the study by ZanaAfrica, children with intellectual disabilities are particularly at risk due to communication barriers, low digital literacy, and a trusting nature.
Wilson Macharia, Legal Advisor at the International Commission of Jurists, emphasized some key recommendations, including the importance of ensuring that children and youth with intellectual disabilities are fully and meaningfully involved in all relevant processes. This includes their participation in the development of online applications and in the formulation of policies and strategies aimed at preventing and addressing online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA). By actively including their perspectives and experiences, stakeholders can ensure that the measures taken are more inclusive, effective, and responsive to their specific needs.
Further, Macharia highlighted the urgent need for more comprehensive research focused on OCSEA as it affects children with disabilities broadly, and children with intellectual disabilities in particular. He notes that there is a significant gap in current research, and addressing this void is crucial for developing informed, evidence-based policies and interventions that truly protect this vulnerable group.
Some of the recommendations from the report include; creating nationwide awareness campaigns on OCSEA; building the capacity of parents and caregivers to protect children online and developing specific laws and policies on these online exploitation and abuse. Other recommendations proposed are strengthening complaint, investigation, and justice systems; and rolling out teacher training on child protection using trauma-informed approaches.
Experts have also called or more research on OCSEA, with respect to the experiences of children with disabilities in general, and children with intellectual disabilities in particular, to be done fill the existing gap on available research.
Also in attendance were; Ruth Reno, Lecturer, Department of Autism; Lydia Mucheru, Senior Deputy Director of Research, Kenya Institute Curriculum Development (KICD); Ellen Mutai, Director of Education, Ministry of Education; Peter Mongi, PCI; Rose Mongi, Department of Child Services; Lydia Karamba, Head of Resource Mobilization, Judiciary; and Elizabeth Maloba, Board Member of ZanaAfrica Programs, among other partners and stakeholders.
As Kenya continues to embrace digital transformation, stakeholders warn that inclusive safety measures must be prioritized to prevent further exploitation of children with disabilities.
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