WeProtect Global Alliance (‘the Alliance’) brings together over 300 members from governments, the private sector, civil society and intergovernmental organisations to develop policies and solutions to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse online.
The Alliance launched as an independent organisation in 2020 following the combination of two initiatives:
- The European Commission and US Department of Justice’s Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online; and
- WePROTECT, established by the UK Government as a global multi-stakeholder response to combating online child sexual abuse.
WeProtect Global Alliance is registered as a Stichting (foundation) in the Netherlands, with a subsidiary company registered in the UK. A Global Policy Board provides expertise and advice to monitor and guide the activities of the organisation.
Our vision
A digital world designed to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse.
Our mission
WeProtect Global Alliance brings together experts from government, the private sector and civil society to develop policies and solutions to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse online.
Our purpose
The internet was not created with child safety in mind; it can be unsafe for children to explore. Every phone and computer is a potential gateway for offenders seeking to sexually exploit children.
Our Alliance generates political commitment and practical approaches to make the digital world safe and positive for children, preventing sexual abuse and long-term harm.
Our funders
We rely on the support of generous donors to fund this important work. It is thanks to their support that we have been able to achieve important milestones in recent years, which can help tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse online.
Funding from our donors allows us to drive through our members and produce a series of resources and events to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse online.
Our history
October 2023
On 17 October, WeProtect Global Alliance published its Global Threat Assessment 2023 – a report that provides a comprehensive overview of the scale and scope of the threat of child sexual exploitation and abuse online. It aims to encourage evidence-based action by recognising the significant progress achieved to date and highlighting opportunities to reduce the risk to children, to prevent abuse before it takes place.
Global Threat Assessment 2023
October 2023
On 17 October, WeProtect Global Alliance published its Global Threat Assessment 2023 – a report that provides a comprehensive overview of the scale and scope of the threat of child sexual exploitation and abuse online. It aims to encourage evidence-based action by recognising the significant progress achieved to date and highlighting opportunities to reduce the risk to children, to prevent abuse before it takes place.
June 2022
On 1-2 June 2022, WeProtect Global Alliance co-hosted with the European Commission the “Turning the Tide on Child Sexual Abuse Online” Global Summit. The Alliance brought together over 400 in-person delegates at Palais d’Egmont in Brussels and nearly 500 more people attending the
summit online.
Among the announcements at the Summit, WeProtect Global Alliance and UNICEF launched the “Framing the Future” report, a review of the Model National Response. At the Summit the Tech Coalition launched “Trust: Voluntary Framework for Industry Transparency”. The Alliance also announced the establishment of a new Global Taskforce on Child Sexual Abuse Online.
WeProtect Global Alliance Summit 2022, Belgium
June 2022
On 1-2 June 2022, WeProtect Global Alliance co-hosted with the European Commission the “Turning the Tide on Child Sexual Abuse Online” Global Summit. The Alliance brought together over 400 in-person delegates at Palais d’Egmont in Brussels and nearly 500 more people attending the
summit online.
Among the announcements at the Summit, WeProtect Global Alliance and UNICEF launched the “Framing the Future” report, a review of the Model National Response. At the Summit the Tech Coalition launched “Trust: Voluntary Framework for Industry Transparency”. The Alliance also announced the establishment of a new Global Taskforce on Child Sexual Abuse Online.
April 2020
Thanks to the support of a range of private philanthropic foundations, WeProtect Global Alliance (‘the Alliance’) relaunched as an independent organisation. The Alliance focuses its efforts on the following strategic priorities:
– Ensuring senior decision-makers take action, including through empowering children and survivors;
– Acting as the definitive source of knowledge on the threat and response to this crime, including through research on the effectiveness of our Model National Response;
– Forging new networks and driving collaboration to deliver a global response, including through a significantly improved online presence.
WeProtect Global Alliance launches as an independent organisation
April 2020
Thanks to the support of a range of private philanthropic foundations, WeProtect Global Alliance (‘the Alliance’) relaunched as an independent organisation. The Alliance focuses its efforts on the following strategic priorities:
– Ensuring senior decision-makers take action, including through empowering children and survivors;
– Acting as the definitive source of knowledge on the threat and response to this crime, including through research on the effectiveness of our Model National Response;
– Forging new networks and driving collaboration to deliver a global response, including through a significantly improved online presence.
December 2019
On 11-12 December 2019, the WePROTECT Global Alliance co-hosted a summit to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation online, in partnership with the African Union and UK Government, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Two landmark WPGA products were launched at the Summit:
The 2019 Global Threat Assessment, which included a strong focus on new data from the Global South, and the Global Strategic Response framework.”
Global Summit to tackle Child Sexual Exploitation, Ethiopia
December 2019
On 11-12 December 2019, the WePROTECT Global Alliance co-hosted a summit to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation online, in partnership with the African Union and UK Government, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
Two landmark WPGA products were launched at the Summit:
The 2019 Global Threat Assessment, which included a strong focus on new data from the Global South, and the Global Strategic Response framework.”
February 2018
In February 2018, more than 400 people from over 60 countries met in Stockholm for the first-ever End Violence Solutions Summit.
The Summit, which aimed to share solutions for preventing and responding to violence against children, brought together governments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and members of academic institutions and civil society — along with children and young people themselves.
At the Summit, we launched the first ever Global Threat Assessment which set the baseline on the threat of child sexual exploitation and abuse online across the world.
Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children’s Solutions Summit, Sweden
February 2018
In February 2018, more than 400 people from over 60 countries met in Stockholm for the first-ever End Violence Solutions Summit.
The Summit, which aimed to share solutions for preventing and responding to violence against children, brought together governments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and members of academic institutions and civil society — along with children and young people themselves.
At the Summit, we launched the first ever Global Threat Assessment which set the baseline on the threat of child sexual exploitation and abuse online across the world.
May 2016
In May 2016 WePROTECT and the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online merged to create WePROTECT Global Alliance.
This created, for the first time, a single initiative with the influence, expertise and resources to transform how child sexual exploitation and abuse online was dealt with worldwide.
Merger of WePROTECT with the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online
May 2016
In May 2016 WePROTECT and the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online merged to create WePROTECT Global Alliance.
This created, for the first time, a single initiative with the influence, expertise and resources to transform how child sexual exploitation and abuse online was dealt with worldwide.
2015
The summit’s purpose was to reflect the world’s confidence in its efforts in the field of child protection, and enhance the international community’s cooperation in the development of necessary plans and programs for this issue, expressing hope that the summit would achieve aspirations to unify global efforts for childhood care and protection.
More than 50 countries participated in the summit, in hopes to unify their efforts to discuss the development of mechanisms for joint action to ensure the identification and protection of victims, and prevent the misuse of the Internet as a means of exploitation of children.
Attendees signed Statements of Action affirming their commitments in the fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse online.
WePROTECT Summit, Abu Dhabi
2015
The summit’s purpose was to reflect the world’s confidence in its efforts in the field of child protection, and enhance the international community’s cooperation in the development of necessary plans and programs for this issue, expressing hope that the summit would achieve aspirations to unify global efforts for childhood care and protection.
More than 50 countries participated in the summit, in hopes to unify their efforts to discuss the development of mechanisms for joint action to ensure the identification and protection of victims, and prevent the misuse of the Internet as a means of exploitation of children.
Attendees signed Statements of Action affirming their commitments in the fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse online.
2014
WePROTECT was established in 2014 by the UK Government, by the then UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Baroness Joanna Shields as a global multi-stakeholder response to combating online child sexual abuse.
The UK Prime Minister hosted the #WePROTECT Global Summit in December, 2014. The summit gathered countries, leading technology companies and civil society organisations in London to galvanise action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation online.
Alongside a raft of measures and technical innovations to tackle those who use the Internet to view and share indecent images, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will work with UNICEF to develop a new global Child Protection Fund and that the UK would be making a £50 million contribution to the fund, over five years.
WePROTECT Summit, London
2014
WePROTECT was established in 2014 by the UK Government, by the then UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Baroness Joanna Shields as a global multi-stakeholder response to combating online child sexual abuse.
The UK Prime Minister hosted the #WePROTECT Global Summit in December, 2014. The summit gathered countries, leading technology companies and civil society organisations in London to galvanise action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation online.
Alongside a raft of measures and technical innovations to tackle those who use the Internet to view and share indecent images, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will work with UNICEF to develop a new global Child Protection Fund and that the UK would be making a £50 million contribution to the fund, over five years.
2014
The United States Hosts Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online Ministerial Conference.
At the invitation of EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström and US Attorney General Eric Holder, global decision-makers met in Washington for the second ministerial conference of the Global Alliance.
Ministers and representatives from participating countries, experts from law enforcement authorities, the private sector, victim advocacy groups and frontline organisations will assess how to expand the fight against global proliferation of child sexual abuse online.
At the conclusion of the conference, the 54 Alliance members endorsed a Ministerial Declaration that commits to addressing the trans-border obstacles to identifying and rescuing victims of exploitation and to identifying and prosecuting offenders
Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online Ministerial Conference, Washington
2014
The United States Hosts Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online Ministerial Conference.
At the invitation of EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström and US Attorney General Eric Holder, global decision-makers met in Washington for the second ministerial conference of the Global Alliance.
Ministers and representatives from participating countries, experts from law enforcement authorities, the private sector, victim advocacy groups and frontline organisations will assess how to expand the fight against global proliferation of child sexual abuse online.
At the conclusion of the conference, the 54 Alliance members endorsed a Ministerial Declaration that commits to addressing the trans-border obstacles to identifying and rescuing victims of exploitation and to identifying and prosecuting offenders
December 2012
The Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online was launched on 5 December 2012 by the European Commission and US Department of Justice. It aimed to raise standards worldwide and unite efforts around the world to more effectively combat online sexual crimes against children.
It gathered 54 countries, who committed to pursue concrete actions to enhance victim protection, identify and prosecute offenders, raise awareness, and reduce the availability of child sexual abuse material online and the re-victimisation of children.
Launch of the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online
December 2012
The Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online was launched on 5 December 2012 by the European Commission and US Department of Justice. It aimed to raise standards worldwide and unite efforts around the world to more effectively combat online sexual crimes against children.
It gathered 54 countries, who committed to pursue concrete actions to enhance victim protection, identify and prosecute offenders, raise awareness, and reduce the availability of child sexual abuse material online and the re-victimisation of children.