Welcome to the website of ECPAT the Netherlands. The ECPAT acronym stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes.

ECPAT International is a global network dedicated to eliminating the commercial sexual exploitation of children. There are now 73 groups in 67 countries in the ECPAT network. The International Secretariat is based in Bangkok, Thailand. ECPAT seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation including child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes.

The International Convention on the Rights of the Child of the United Nations (CRC) from 1989 forms the guiding principle for the fight against sexual exploitation of children. According to the convention children are defined as all persons younger than eighteen years and must all children be protected against every form of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

ECPAT-NL is raising awareness on commercial sexual exploitation of children in the Dutch society. ECPAT-NL is also lobbying for adequate and effective law enforcement, prevention and healthcare programmes regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation of children at governmental and societal level. Also the private sector, like Internet Service Providers and the tourism industry are addressed to take responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation. ECPAT-NL has played an important role in the development, implementation and monitoring of the Dutch National Action Plan Sexual Abuse of children.