2022 has been a very busy and important year in the Alliance’s development. It saw our first Global Summit since we became an independent organisation in April 2020 and it was also a year in which our team grew substantially to 11 staff members. Our achievements as an Alliance over the past year have only been possible through the commitment and cooperation of our over 250 members and key partners. You can see some of our key milestones in 2022 in our 2022 yearly review.
WeProtect Global Alliance relaunched in 2020 as an independent organisation. The COVID-19 global pandemic and the related restrictions has reaffirmed the Alliance’s mission to bring our members together to fight child sexual abuse online.
Today’s Alliance is the combination of 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. The two initiatives merged in 2016 to form WeProtect Global Alliance, see more historic moments in the timeline below:
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.
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, the Alliance relaunched and now advances its priorities alongside its impressive membership. 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.
April 2020
Thanks to the support of a range of private philanthropic foundations, the Alliance relaunched and now advances its priorities alongside its impressive membership. 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 online child sexual exploitation, in partnership with the African Union and UK Government.
The summit was held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was attended by global leaders from across governments, industry and civil society.
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 first ever Global Strategic Response framework.”
December 2019
On 11-12 December 2019, the WePROTECT Global Alliance co-hosted a summit to tackle online child sexual exploitation, in partnership with the African Union and UK Government.
The summit was held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was attended by global leaders from across governments, industry and civil society.
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 first ever Global Strategic Response framework.”
February 2018
In February 2018, more than 400 people from over 60 countries met in Stockholm, Sweden 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 online child sexual abuse 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, Sweden 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 online child sexual abuse 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 online child sexual abuse 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 online child sexual abuse 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 online child sexual abuse
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 online child sexual abuse
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 online child sexual exploitation.
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
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 online child sexual exploitation.
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
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
2014
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 pornography 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 pornography online and the re-victimisation of children.
