Sustainable and systemic change for the safety of children

25 years have passed since Queen Silvia of Sweden decided it was time for the world to stop turning a blind eye to the fact that children are being sexually abused. The decision was easy – something had to be done to protect children. The reaction of the outside world was mixed. Should a queen really be working with such a sensitive topic? At the same time, a strong network united behind the Queen. Together, they founded World Childhood Foundation.

In 1999, hardly anyone wanted to address the issue of child sexual abuse and exploitation. It was kept in the shadows thereby shielding the perpetrators among us. By founding World Childhood Foundation, Queen Silvia took a global lead in protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

Since the beginning, partnerships have been at the core of our work. Together with our co-founders, investors, corporate partners, and passionate pioneers we have acted boldly and confronted the issues surrounding child sexual abuse and exploitation head-on.  We have been tenacious in our efforts, exploring unconventional methods and pioneering new solutions to keep children safe.

From our offices in Sweden, Brazil, Germany, and the US, we have acted as a global force – impacting the lives of millions of children and their families. Since 1999 we have invested more than 130 million USD in over 2,000 projects in 21 countries. Our aim has always been to drive sustainable and systemic change for the safety of children, with a particular focus on vulnerable groups as children in institutional care, children with disabilities and LGBTQ youth.