The Protective Rhymes initiative was conceived with the primary objective of significantly impacting public opinion and influencing behaviors regarding the issue of child sexual abuse in the Middle East.

More than just a public service announcement, our message serves as a transformative tool, crafted through the potent combination of music and storytelling.

A comprehensive PR strategy was strategically implemented to garner the endorsement of experts and disseminate the message through the most effective channels, ensuring widespread reach among parents online. The idea was warmly embraced, sparking instant virality and garnering organic shares and significant exposure on various media outlets.

Child sexual abuse is an issue impacting children everywhere, and the Middle East is no exception.

One in 9 children in the Middle East is a victim of sexual abuse.

In the Arab world, there have been shy attempts to grow awareness and education among parents and children.

However, open dialogue about body safety and protection of boundaries with children still face taboos within many societal segments.

General sexual education is not prevalent in the region. Parents and well as institutions often avoid any kind of talk that may make children too aware of their bodies sexually.

Fear of stigma, cultural sensitivities and lack of education have left children in the Arab world more vulnerable to abuse.

THE PROBLEM

One in 9 children in the Middle East are victims of sexual abuse.

A relative. A neighbor. A teacher. A stranger.

Predators are out there, and every child is vulnerable.

However, some forms of abuse can be preventable with proper awareness and education.

But research on parents in the region has shown that a staggering 86% of parents admit not to know how to educate their children about body safety.

A sentiment that remains consistent across levels of education or social classes.

Even when parents understand its importance, they simply do not know how to have the talk.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Anghami’s regional platform offered extensive reach among parents in the Arab world.

It had the opportunity to use its platform to develop a tangible solution that makes body safety education easy for all parents and engaging for all children.

Using what it did best, music.

Some things are easier to say in a song.

We turned to a universal language that effortlessly gets through to the youngest of audiences: nursery rhymes.

We have all sung them, memorized them, and absorbed their wisdom.

So, we created nursery rhymes that educate children about their body safety, boundaries and quick responses to perilous situations.

In consultation with child psychologists, we crafted a groundbreaking series of rhymes, the first from a brand for children’s body safety.

Purposeful. Critical. Protective.

‘The Protective Rhymes’ is the region’s first series of songs that are meant to teach protective behaviours.

There are 5 songs, each based on a specific insight and tackling a different area of awareness.

Together, the songs form a step-by-step process to equip the child with all the information they need.

They are short, catchy melodies each focused on one memorable learning.

THE BREAKTHROUGH INSIGHT

1 in 9 children in the Middle East is a victim of sexual abuse.

But 86% of parents admit not to know how to educate their children about it.

They do not want to scare them, break their trust in their environment, or make them too sexually aware of their bodies.

THE PIVOTAL AUDIENCE

In the Arab world, the subject of body safety and protection of boundaries with children still face taboos within many societal segments.

With the absence of body safety education from schools, parents are a critical player in protecting children through awareness of the risks and education on the right behaviours.

THE PR GOAL

Break the silence on the unspoken societal issue of child sexual abuse, with a campaign that aims to teach parents on the importance of education, and subsequently teach children.

FUELLING CONVERSATION ONLINE

We targeted parents with the rhymes on multiple digital and social platforms, as well as listeners on the Anghami app, to maximize the reach and impact of the idea.

We earned the warm support of content creators and parents, generating organic conversation online.

SPREADING THE MESSAGE ON MASS MEDIUMS

Sky News Arabia and Dubai One, amongst other influential regional broadcast channels and media outlets, featured the campaign.

GENERATING THE ENDORSEMENT OF EXPERTS

Child psychologists and social workers, endorsed the idea, sharing it through their channels, and stimulating conversation and education around the topic.

ACTIVATING THE IDEA IN EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

We facilitated the introduction of rhymes through workshops at schools and nurseries, helping reach children regionally and encouraging the institutionalization of body safety education.

AN INFLUENTIAL IDEA SPARKING CONVERSATION AT SCALE

15M+ views for the films and song streams across platforms.

$4.1M in earned media value, for an initial budget of $100,000, with the campaign, being picked up by influential regional media outlets including Sky News Arabia and Dubai One.

+53% increase in conversation about child sexual abuse in regional media, a testament to the idea’s talkable nature.

DRIVING ACTION, SUPPORT AND LASTING CHANGE

+186% awareness of body safety among children surveyed after their exposure to the songs, and a +78% increase among parents.

Joining us in our commitment to the cause, child-focused brands including Babyshop endorsed the campaign, and school networks pledged to adopt body safety education as part of curriculums.