The “Smile of the Child" has the honor of being accepted in WePROTECT - Global Alliance
05 April 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Athens, 5 April 2021
The “Smile of the Child" has the honor of being accepted in WePROTECT - Global Alliance
International network to combat exual exploitation & child abuse on the internet
● The new collaboration is crucial as "The Smile of the Child" intensifies its struggle through the #meneimystiko.gr campaign and a series of other awareness raising actions
● Τhe sexual exploitation of children on the Internet takes on dangerous proportions with exponential growth worldwide
WePROTECT Global Alliance brings together the knowledge, experience and influence to transform the global response to child sexual exploitation and abuse online. The Alliance is a unique partnership, dedicated to putting online-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse on the global agenda, as well as mobilising a worldwide campaign to end it.
Currently made up of 98 governments, 45 private sector companies, 47 civil society organisations and 9 international organisations, the Alliance and its members share frameworks, tools, experience and effective practices to accelerate the response to this ever-evolving threat. "The Smile of the Child" is the only organization for the protection of children's rights from Greece that participates in the global alliance.
In recent years, online sexual exploitation has grown exponentially and threatens children around the world, having become the most insidious form of modern cybercrime. The information from the WePROTECT website is particularly worrying;
● 18.4 million Referrals of child sexual abuse material by US technology companies to NCMEC in one year
● 94% of Child sex abuse material found online by the Internet Watch Foundation contains images of children aged 13 or under
Iain Drennan, Executive Director WePROTECT - Global Alliance, stated;
“We are delighted to welcome the Smile of the Child as the latest civil society member of the WePROTECT Global Alliance. We look forward to working together and across our diverse Alliance to highlight and share good practice in tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse online. We are clear that government and law enforcement cannot tackle this crime without widespread support and engagement. It is only through working as a broad coalition with the private sector and civil society that we can ensure all children are safe from sexual exploitation and abuse online.”
Mr. Costas Yannopoulos, President of the Organization "The Smile of the Child", said;
"We are particularly honored by our participation in the International Network WePROTECT - Global Alliance. We will fight with all our might to contribute to end the unthinkable crimes against children. Behind the horrific numbers are child souls who experienced the ultimate horror of sexual abuse. The “Smile of the Child” continues the campaign #meneimystiko.gr and in the coming months will intensify the mobilization by taking advantage of the new international cooperation, as well as all established national and international partnerships. We need coordination, cooperation and determination to protect our children, at a national and international level.”
More information on the ”WePROTECT - Global Alliance" can be found here.
For more information please contact;
"The Smile of the Child»
Press Department
Tel 0030 210 3306140
press@hamogelo.gr
