Child protection

All girls and boys must have the opportunity to express their potential, to grow, and to achieve their dreams in the communities they live in.

We promote child protection initiatives in every country where we operate. In particular, our activities aim to protect young boys and girls from abuse and violence, with a special focus on areas affected by natural disasters, political instability and humanitarian emergencies.

Our programmes focus on the most vulnerable girls and boys, and we aim to guarantee their safety and wellbeing. We work with governments, international organisations and civil society partners to create lasting change by improving the policies and services in place to protect children, both in their everyday lives and in emergency situations.

In some of the countries where we work, such as Cambodia, Nepal and Libya, we face the grave problem of children being sent to work in fields, factories and mines.

This lucrative business is often linked to criminal activity and corruption. All too often, girls and boys are victims of sexual exploitation or are at risk of becoming child soldiers.

Our work takes on particular importance during humanitarian emergencies caused by natural disasters and conflicts. In these situations, we safeguard the basic needs of children who are particularly vulnerable to risks such as separation from their families, sexual exploitation, and gender-based violence.

With our projects, we strive to ensure that girls and boys receive good-quality care, even in situations of extreme poverty and serious humanitarian crises. To this end, we operate emergency healthcare funds to protect their right to health.