Our Approach
ECPAT International’s work is guided by core principles that put children’s safety at the centre of everything we do.
Rights-Based
We place children’s rights at the centre of our work – advocating for justice, participation, protection, the best interests of children and the recognition of children as active rights-holders and agents of change.
Proactive Focus on Prevention
We prioritise prevention as a strategic imperative, investing in early action and upstream interventions that address the social and systemic drivers, and disrupt offending before harm occurs.
Child Protection Systems Approach
We aim to promote comprehensive child protection systems that integrate bold actions to address sexual exploitation of children.
Gender & Intersectionality
We acknowledge how age, ability, background, gender, and status, among others, shape children’s experiences. We promote equitable, inclusive strategies that challenge systemic discrimination and unequal power structures.
Locally Driven & Contextual
We centre local leadership, knowledge and lived experiences to ensure all interventions are contextually relevant, sustainable, and owned by the children and communities we serve.
Cross-Learning & Bottom-Up Innovation
We promote horizontal learning, co-creation, and peer exchange across regions, sectors, and communities to scale effective solutions.
Multi-Sectorial & Multi-Level Engagement
We promote horizontal learning, co-creation, and peer exchange across regions, sectors, and communities to scale effective solutions.
Accountability & Transparency
We bring together diverse actors and institutions across levels—from local to global— to foster holistic and coordinated responses.
Adaptability to Changing Realities
We remain agile in the face of rapid shifts – technological, social, political, and environmental – while continuing to push for bold, evidence-informed change.