WePROTECT Global Alliance
The WePROTECT Global Alliance to End Child Sexual Exploitation Online is an international movement dedicated to national and global action to end the sexual exploitation of children online.
The Alliance combines two major initiatives: the Global Alliance, led by the US Department of Justice and the European Commission, and WePROTECT, which was convened by the UK. The merged initiative currently comprises around 70 countries, several major international organisations, more than 20 large companies in the global technology industry, and 17 leading civil society organisations.
The Alliance is lead by a multistakeholder Board comprised of representatives from governments, international organisations, civil society organisations, and the technology industry. Its activities are focused on four main areas: securing high-level commitments by governments, the technology industry, and international and civil society organisations to tackle the issue of child sexual exploitation online; supporting comprehensive national action; galvanising global action by catalysing and driving critical interventions needed to end online child sexual abuse exploitation; and strategy and goverance, includisng securing a long-term future for the initiative and a clear and stable governance structure.
The 70 countries members of the Alliance work together to: identify victims of child sexual exploitation online, and esure they receive necessary support; investigate cases of exploitation and prosecure offenders; increase public awareness of the risks posed by children’s activities online; and reduce the availability of child sexual abuse material online. The Model National Response, developed by the Alliance, helps countries to establish and develop coordinated national response to online child sexual exploitation. The technology industry and international and civil society organisations work to support national approaches, while coordinating their efforts and harness the power of innovation to help protect children online.
The WePROTECT Global Alliance also works with the Fund to End Violence Against Children (hosted by the United Nations Children’s Fund) to deliver a global programme of capacity and capability to end the sexual exploitation of children online. The Alliance Board advises teh Fund of how to prioritise its activities for maximum impact.