FIRST LADY PRINCE-DREW EMPHASISES CHILD SAFETY, DIGITAL LITERACY AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN SHAPING THE DIGITAL FUTURE
Basseterre, Saint Kitts, November 13, 2026 (SKNIS): As technology continues to transform the way children learn, communicate and interact with the world, First Lady of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mrs. Diani Prince-Drew, is calling for greater vigilance, stronger safeguards and a more deliberate approach to protecting young people in an increasingly connected society.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the Fostering the Future Together: The Caribbean Summit at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on November 13, 2026, Mrs. Prince-Drew highlighted the growing responsibility of governments, parents, educators and technology providers to ensure that children are not only equipped to embrace the opportunities of the digital age, but are also sufficiently protected against its potential dangers.
She identified cyberbullying, exploitation, harmful online content, privacy violations and emerging forms of abuse as serious concerns that demand a coordinated response, emphasising that children’s safety must remain central to every conversation about technological advancement.
“The online world is a place of wonder. It is also where children can be hurt, sometimes by strangers, sometimes by peers, and faster than any of us can react,” Mrs. Prince-Drew cautioned.
The First Lady stressed that protecting children cannot be treated as the sole responsibility of parents, but must become a shared commitment across all sectors of society.
She called for digital platforms and environments to be designed with children’s safety and privacy in mind from the outset, insisting that no child should have to choose between participating in the digital world and being protected within it.
Mrs. Prince-Drew also highlighted the importance of strengthening digital literacy, explaining that true digital competence extends far beyond knowing how to operate devices or navigate online platforms.
In an era when images can be artificially generated and voices replicated, she said children must develop the critical thinking skills necessary to distinguish fact from misinformation, evaluate sources, identify manipulation and understand the long-term implications of their online activities.
“They must understand that everything they post leaves a trace, that a digital footprint can last a lifetime, and that the person on the other side of the screen is real and deserves respect,” Mrs. Prince-Drew said. “These are not just technical skills. They are life skills.”
Importantly, the First Lady emphasised that children must not simply be viewed as beneficiaries of policies and decisions concerning their future, but as active participants whose perspectives, concerns and aspirations deserve to be heard.
As Caribbean nations navigate rapid technological changes, Mrs. Prince-Drew called for greater regional and international cooperation to ensure that no child is left behind and that every young person has the opportunity to participate safely, confidently and meaningfully in the digital world.
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