Stronger protection for children in war-torn Ukraine, AI tools to support investigations of child sexual abuse, a unique pilot project within the Catholic Church, and increased awareness of child sexual abuse among over one million children, young people, and adults. These are some of the results of Childhood’s work in 2023.
Ukraine has long been a priority for Childhood. In 2023, we partnered with nine local organizations to strengthen protection for children affected by war and abuse. Together, we helped ensure more children received the support they need through four new Barnahus centers. One key challenge during the war has been that crimes against children must often be reported in person at police stations — a dangerous requirement, especially in occupied areas. To respond, we supported the development of a portal enabling anonymous reporting of suspected child abuse.
– Our partners continue to protect children with tireless dedication, despite the extreme circumstances in Ukraine. Meeting them in Poland this fall and hearing their testimonies was deeply moving, says Paula Guillet de Monthoux, Secretary General of Childhood.
H.M. The Queen of Sweden, Childhood’s founder, joined the trip to Poland, something her Majesty reflects on in a personal interview.
In 2023, we also accelerated our work with AI in the fight against child sexual abuse. We:
- Funded a tool to analyze behavior on dismantled Darknet forums
- Evaluated the impact of a chatbot activated by searches for abuse material on Pornhub
- Developed a tool to detect child sexual abuse material online
We launched a pilot exploring early identification of risk behavior within the Catholic Church and continued advocating for reforms in child residential care – particularly in Sweden, Thailand, and Ukraine.
Through our partners, over 1 million children, youth, and adults gained tools and knowledge to prevent sexual abuse. In total we worked on 136 projects in ten countries.
– Childhood is built on partnerships. We’re grateful to all who made this possible and look forward to continuing this work with both new and long-standing allies, says Paula Guillet de Monthoux.
