SESRIC, in coordination with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) General Secretariat, and in collaboration with relevant OIC Subsidiary Organs and Specialised Institutions organised a Workshop on “Cyber Addiction: Best Practices to Protect Children from Violence via Internet in the OIC Member States” on 14-15 October 2025 at its Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye. The Workshop was organised within the framework of the implementation of the resolution no. B/48/MCSD-2/2023 adopted during the Second Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Social Development, held on 5-6 June 2023 in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.

The Workshop brought together 65 representatives from relevant ministries and national institutions / agencies in 27 OIC countries, including representatives from the OIC General Secretariat and OIC Institutions, namely the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), and Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), as well as national, international and civil society organisations, including Doha International Family Institute (DIFI), Enstitü Sosyal, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) Corporation, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Turkish Green Crescent Society, and World Health Organization (WHO).

The Workshop commenced with welcoming speeches of H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, H.E. Dr. Amina AL HAJRI, Director General of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs of the OIC General Secretariat, and H.E. Ahmed RASHAD, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Arab Republic of Egypt in Ankara, in its capacity as the current Chair of the Second OIC Ministerial Conference on Social Development. They were followed by the opening remarks delivered by H.E. Amb. Dr. Mehmet GÜLLÜOĞLU, Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Green Crescent Society and H.E. Dr. Sevim SAYIM MADAK, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye.

In her address, H.E. SELÇUK expressed sincere appreciation to the OIC General Secretariat for its collaboration in organising the Workshop. She emphasised the urgent need to address cyber addiction and online risks, which pose serious threats to the well-being, mental health, and development of children, particularly in the OIC countries, where more than half of the population is under the age of 24. H.E. SELÇUK called for collective efforts to bring about safer digital environments through education, awareness raising, and promotion of emotional resilience. She further highlighted SESRIC’s ongoing efforts to foster coordinated action among the Member Countries through statistics, research, capacity-building initiatives, and technical cooperation aimed at safeguarding the well-being of the younger generation in the digital age.

The other Opening Remarks acknowledged and praised the collaborative efforts in the organisation of the Workshop. They emphasised the urgent need to address the rising challenges of cyber addiction and online risks through preventive measures, awareness-raising initiatives, and strengthening national and international cooperation.

Following the Opening Session, the Workshop continued with the session titled “Health Effects of Cyber Addiction and Cyberbullying.” The representatives of Jordan, Nigeria, Turkish Green Crescent Society, UNFPA and WHO made their presentations in this session. The presentations covered how prolonged digital engagement and exposure to other digital harms contribute to health-related problems. The speakers also mentioned the strategies for early identification, intervention, and prevention to safeguard the well-being of youth in the digital age.

The session titled “Education of Children in the Era of Internet” listened to the presentations of Iraq, Maldives, Morocco, Türkiye, Enstitü Sosyal, and Turkish Green Crescent Society. The speakers focused on the impact of the changing digital landscape on children’s education given the expanded internet access. The innovative teaching and learning methods, new roles of educators and families in digital learning were also discussed during the session.

The first day of the Workshop ended with the session titled “Empowering Families to Address Cyber Addiction and Cyberbullying in the Digital Age.” The presentations by the representatives of Gambia, Malaysia, Qatar, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkish Green Crescent Society, and IIFA highlighted the crucial role families play in preventing and reducing cyber addiction and cyberbullying among children and youth.

The second day of the Workshop started with the session titled “Addressing Cyber Addiction and Child Protection through National and International Legal Frameworks.” The presentations were delivered by Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Mozambique, ICESCO, IPHRC, ITU, and UNICEF. The presenters discussed the existing legal frameworks, strategies for enforcement, gaps in legislation, the need for cross-border cooperation, and the importance of aligning legal responses aligned with their national contexts.

The Open Discussion among the participants highlighted best practices and challenges in addressing cyber addiction and digital harms affecting children. The Workshop was finalised with the Wrap-Up Session during which the participants went over and revised the Draft Recommendations of the Workshop with a focus on the multidimensional aspects of health, family, education, and legislative frameworks concerning cyber addiction and digital harms.

The presentations of the Workshop are available here.

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