Governments

Governments taking a global stand  

With over 100 member governments, WeProtect Global Alliance is a truly global force, leading the way in creating and enforcing the laws needed to protect children online. Governments play a critical role in establishing the legal frameworks and empowering national law enforcement agencies to investigate and respond to these crimes. However, the growing scale of online abuse requires a globally aligned regulatory approach to amplify impact across borders. 

In recent years, we’ve seen a worldwide shift from minimal self-regulation to robust legislative action to tackle online child exploitation and abuse. As more nations enact new online safety laws, it’s crucial that these laws are harmonized to ensure cohesive global standards. The Alliance works closely with governments to support coordinated approaches, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster collaboration, ensuring that our collective actions are powerful and unified. 

Our  Model National Response serves as a comprehensive framework, enabling governments to assess and strengthen their strategies for online child protection. To further drive global cooperation, we launched the Global Taskforce on child sexual abuse online in 2022. Chaired by the European Union and vice-chaired by the African Union, this taskforce brings together 20 government representatives from around the world to meet twice a year and advance collaborative solutions, ensuring there are no safe havens for child exploitation anywhere in the digital landscape.

By joining WeProtect Global Alliance, governments are part of a high-impact network dedicated to a safe and secure digital world for all children. Together, we are setting the global standards and driving the actions that will shape a safer future. 

We are witnessing today a serious problem at a very critical time. Given the transnational nature of online child sexual abuse offences, addressing this issue requires a holistic approach and commitment from all stakeholders to keep children safe. We therefore all have a role to play to addressing this scourge and we can only succeed if we all work together.

Mama Fatima Singhateh, UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children