Nobel Prize Winner and Human Rights Activist Malala Yousafzai awarded Sadat with the International Children Peace Prize for his work in combating Cyberbullying. Anika Khan reports.
17-Year-old Sadat Rahman has worked in setting up his social organization and mobile app “Cyber Teens” to educate young people of Bangladesh about cyberbullying. Here is all that you need to know:
- On Friday, Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai announced him the winner over the virtual event. The International Children’s Peace Price award recognizes the astounding work of young people who promotes Children’s rights. Greta Thunberg won the award the previous year for her involvement to speak against climate change.
- Sadat was inspired to create this app after he heard the story of a 15-year-old who ended her life because of bullying. His mobile app helps young people to report online abuses and helps to give them protection against these predators.
- As of now, over 1800 teenagers in his local district have used the app which goes to show the rooted problems of social media and the need to reconstruct cyber laws in a country like Bangladesh.
- Malala Yousafzai describes her as ‘an inspiration’. Sadat is calling young people from all over the world to unite and stand against cyberbullying. She said, “Sadat is a true changemaker” who is supporting his community and those who are suffering from mental and emotional abuse.
- Sadat’s app allows young people to report cyberbullying confidentially through a network of volunteers who then report the case to the police and social workers. The team is also involved in educating teenagers on how to stay safe on the internet. Since its launch over 300 victims has been supported. Police have arrested over eight people to sexually harass young people online.
- Sadat Rahman plans to use the money he received from the award to make the app accessible all around Bangladesh. He aims to fund his organization to grow and help as many young people out there who need help because he is aware of how almost half of the internet users I Bangladesh have been victims of Cyberbullying.
- Upon receiving his speech, Sadat said, that the stigma and lack of knowledge had prevented many of these crimes from being reported. He said, “I strongly believe awareness, empathy, counseling, and action are the four drivers of force to combat cyberbullying”. He aims to win the battle against cyberbullying.
This Young boy is a true inspiration and a youth model to the all the young people of Bangladesh.
