Bangkok, Thailand – ECPAT International is delighted to announce the appointment of Cornelius Williams as the new Chair of its Supervisory Board, effective 16 October 2024. With over 35 years of experience in global child protection programming and child rights advocacy, Cornelius will be a valuable addition to the organisation, further strengthening ECPAT’s mission to end the sexual exploitation of children worldwide.
Cornelius Williams is a highly accomplished individual with an impressive background in leading child protection initiatives within international organisations, including UNICEF and Save the Children. As the former Global Director for Child Protection at UNICEF, Cornelius spearheaded numerous humanitarian and developmental programmes aimed at protecting children from exploitation, violence, and abuse. His leadership in developing UNICEF’s Child Protection Strategy (2021-2030) has set new standards in addressing child protection issues globally.
Cornelius has also served on various advisory boards and UN steering committees, including ID4Africa, CPC Learning Network, and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Consortium for Street Children and the Global Policy Board of WeProtect Global Alliance.
Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Outgoing Chair: “It is a sincere honour to have Cornelius serve in this position, not only because of his incredible career in child protection globally but also because of the vision he shared and the energy he brings to our organisation. I will be leaving the Chair position reassured that Cornelius will take over and continue the journey to ensure ECPAT is fit for purpose and continue to make a difference in the lives of children.”
Cornelius Williams, Incoming Chair of the Supervisory Board: “I am deeply committed to ECPAT International’s vision and eager to bring my expertise to the Supervisory Board. My approach is rooted in transparency, accountability, and empathy, and I am honoured to join ECPAT International and contribute to its critical mission of protecting children from sexual exploitation. I look forward to working with the dedicated team and partners to create a safer world for children.”
ECPAT International is honoured to have Cornelius Williams lead the Supervisory Board and is certain that his leadership will propel the organisation towards achieving greater impact in its mission.
Guillaume Landry, Executive Director: “We are thrilled to welcome Cornelius Williams as our new Chair. His extensive expertise and unwavering dedication to child protection will be invaluable as we advance our efforts to end child sexual exploitation globally.”
About ECPAT International
ECPAT International stands as a united front of 125 civil society organisations spread across over 100 nations, each passionately committed to the shared vision of eradicating the sexual exploitation of children. Harnessing the power of over three decades of experience in multi-stakeholder engagement and partnership management, our expansive network operates on national, regional, and global levels. We relentlessly drive forward, fuelled by the conviction that every child deserves a world free from sexual exploitation.
For more information, please contact: ECPAT International communications@ecpat.org