By supporting Safe Cyber Space, the AXA Foundation for Human Progress extends its commitment to child protection to include digital risks
Given the rapid and multifaceted growth of cyber risks, strengthening prevention initiatives at an early age is essential. That is why the AXA Foundation for Human Progress is committed to supporting Safe Cyber Space, an online risk prevention program for young people, for three-years. Launched by AXA, the program will be implemented in France, Spain, and Portugal, bringing together UNICEF France, the Simplon Foundation, and everyone.AI.
Child protection is a fundamental commitment for the AXA Foundation for Human Progress, and which we carry out comprehensively - from preventing and detecting violence to protecting and helping child victims rebuild.
Clément Rouxel General delegate of the AXA Foundation for Human Progress
Making the digital world a place where children’s rights are respected
Safe Cyber Space relies on the expertise of three partners committed to protecting young people:
UNICEF France, which represents the United Nations Children's Fund in France and works to protect the rights of children in more than 190 countries and territories;
Simplon Foundation, an endowment fund backed by the Simplon group. Since 2019 it has worked for an inclusive and solidarity-driven digital world, serving vulnerable groups (children and teenagers, women, unemployed or untrained young, refugees and people with disabilities);
everyone.AI, a non-profit organization that studies at the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence how to safeguard the cognitive and emotional development of 0- to 25-year-olds in the face of emerging AI uses.
Together, these partners aim to raise awareness among teenagers, their parents and educators about digital challenges and provide them with the necessary tools to navigate them.
Safe Cyber Space targets more than 15,000 middle school students in person and nearly 3 million adults and children in France, Spain and Portugal through national campaigns. This makes it one of the most far-reaching awareness programs on these issues in Europe.
Technology companies on a mission for responsible digital use
Safe Cyber Space leverages AXA's technological expertise to promote prevention and access to safer digital use among children, parents and educators.
Supporting and protecting young people in their digital use requires action both in the design of technologies and in the way they are used.
Matthieu Caillat Group Chief Technology & AI Officer and Chief Executive Officer of AXA Group Operations
Safe Cyber Space, a concrete partnership
The program will address the main risks associated with digital use, including phishing, cyberbullying, misinformation, digital addiction, the impact of AI on socio-emotional and cognitive development, and the responsible AI use in learning.
Three key areas for building the right habits:
Raising awareness among young people and adults of major digital risks: with the Simplon Foundation, the rollout of Cybervengers.club, a series of educational AXA manga, to 15,000 middle school students. UNICEF will spread the campaign, alongside training for parents, educators and AXA employees (France, Spain) to help them identify and address signs of distress.
National campaigns and studies to better understand digital habits: focus groups led by UNICEF to study young people's digital habits, and the publication of a strategic report to inform policies and initiatives related to child protection online, intented for public and economic decision-makers.
Training for parents and educators: co-creation with everyone.AI of training modules dedicated to parents and educators, dedicated first to AXA employees and partners, then to the general public.
Support at the highest institutional level
The project is also backed by Sarah El Haïry, High Commissioner for Childhood, and Najat Maalla M'jid, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence Against Children.
The digital world cannot be a territory where companies' responsibility ends. For too long, we have asked children to adapt to the risks of tools designed by adults. This logic must be reversed: it is the digital world that must adapt to children's rights. (…) A child does not have fewer rights behind a screen.
Sarah El Haïry High Commissioner for Childhood
The partnership was inaugurated in the presence of Sarah El Haïry - High Commissioner for Childhood, Najat Maalla M’jid - Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ann Avril - UNICEF France, Frédéric Bardeau - Simplon Foundation, Maxime Le Bourgeois - everyone.AI, Clément Rouxel - AXA Foundation for Human Progress and Matthieu Caillat - AXA.
At the AXA Foundation for Human Progress, we are convinced that protecting children is a prerequisite for social cohesion and a cornerstone of the fight against inequality.
By supporting Safe Cyber Space, alongside UNICEF France, the Simplon Foundation and everyone.AI, we are reaffirming our commitment to protecting children in every area of their development.
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