Defence for Children International Netherlands - ECPAT Netherlands

Children and youth, both victims and at risk of CSEC, are the main actors in this intervention. We define children as girls and boys up to 18 years old and youth as adolescent girls and boys aged 18 to 24 years old. We will mostly work with them through children and youth groups. We will also work with government officials at local and national level, representing various Ministries responsible for the effective implementation of the national child protection system. We will also work with law enforcement agency officers and civil society organisations. Civil society organisations will include those providing services to CSEC victims and those at risk, organisations supporting CSEC prevention work and those working with youth as advocates.

Sexual exploitation of children (SEC) is a grave violation of children’s rights and affects millions of children and youth annually, regardless of gender. No region, country or child is immune, though girls, boys and children with other gender identities face differing levels of risk to different manifestations of SEC depending on their intersectional vulnerability factors. It impacts heavily and long lastingly on their physical, emotional and mental well-being. It deprives children and youth of establishing healthy (sexual) relationships and from developing to the best of their potential. The SUFASEC programme is designed to combat SEC and will work in 12 countries in Latin America and South East Asia: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Philippines and Thailand.

In the BBB Programme the overall goal is to ensure that children and youth are better protected when at risk or victim of sexual exploitation in the times of Covid-19. This will be achieved through five (5) outcomes: 1. Children (in particular victims and those at risk of SEC) are able to access specialised services that protect them, help them rehabilitate, reintegrate and reduce their vulnerability to SEC in the context of Covid-19. 2. Children and youth are able to advocate for continued SEC prevention and response in the context of Covid-19. 3. Parents, caregivers, and community leaders are strengthened to provide a protective shield around children against SEC, in the context of Covid-19. 4. Actors in the Child Protection System are strengthened in multi-stakeholder settings to prevent and advocate for protection from SEC, in the context of Covid-19. 5. Intergovernmental bodies at regional and international level, governments and the private sector prioritize SEC within the wider child protection agenda in building back better during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.