ECPAT UK stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes. We are a leading children’s rights organisation campaigning against the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the UK and on its international aspects.

In particular, we focus on the protection of trafficked children and children exploited in tourism and the prevention of such crimes. We do this in a number of ways.

Campaigning

We promote the rights of children and the measures to protect them from commercial sexual exploitation and abuse. We encourage UK citizens, organisations and the government to take action and work with the media to increase public awareness.

Monitoring & Research

We produce reports, briefing papers and other informational and educational material to build on knowledge of the issues and for campaigning and policy development.

Training

We provide training throughout the UK and internationally on the protection of children in tourism and the protection of child victims of trafficking. In particular, we run a national child trafficking training programme to increase awareness and highlight the specific support needs of trafficked children.

Policy development & legal reform

We work with children’s rights organisations, child protection agencies, communities and government to identify strategies to combat child trafficking and the exploitation of children in tourism.

Capacity building

We work in partnership with various organisations to build a common understanding and enhance expertise on protecting children from commercial sexual exploitation in the UK and internationally.

International ECPAT network

We regularly work with other ECPAT partners in Europe on projects and policy development. Two examples are the adoption of the Code of Conduct for the protection of children from sexual exploitation in tourism and since 1999 working on a joint East-West 20 country counter-trafficking project involving training for police and social workers.