What ECPAT International does

ECPAT International is a global civil society network of civil society organizations founded in 1991 (one firmographic record states 1990) and headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand (Ratchathewi district), with operational and historical ties to ECPAT Luxembourg. The organization's mission is to end the sexual exploitation of children, encompassing both online child sexual exploitation and abuse (including CSAM detection and AI-generated deepfakes) and exploitation linked to travel and tourism (including voluntourism and orphanage trafficking). ECPAT coordinates advocacy, research, and policy reform with a self-reported network of 141 member organizations across 113 countries, partnered with intergovernmental bodies including UNICEF, INTERPOL, Europol, ASEAN, the WeProtect Global Alliance, and platforms such as Discord.

ECPAT's substantive outputs are research reports and policy frameworks rather than commercial software products. Flagship initiatives include the Luxembourg Guidelines — a terminology framework adopted by 18 international partners in January 2016 and now published in 9 languages — Disrupting Harm (joint research with INTERPOL and UNICEF), Project Beacon (EU-focused digital policy advocacy launched in 2021), the Global Boys Initiative, The Code (a tourism-industry code of conduct), the Legal Checklist (endorsed by ASEAN, SAIEVAC, and GARA), and the VOICE Report (produced with Eurochild and Terre des Hommes Netherlands across 15 countries). Awareness and direct-call-to-action vehicles include the #ChildSafetyON and #WeProtectChildren campaigns, the Children's Bill of Rights petition, the Ending the Silence podcast, and a multilingual digital library at ecpat.org. Membership in the network is governed by ECPAT's statutes and supported through coordinated advocacy, with ECPAT's central secretariat operating with 11–50 employees.

As a non-governmental organization, ECPAT generates revenue through donations, grants from foundations (e.g., Oak Foundation is referenced as an observer to the Luxembourg Guidelines Working Group), grants from governments, and member contributions rather than commercial sales or licensing. The organization has no public stock listing, no parent or holding company, and no disclosed funding rounds; no financial figures are publicly released. Its 246+ signatory letter targeting the EU Parliament on CSAM detection (March 2026) and the April 2026 expiry of the EU's temporary ePrivacy derogation represent the most policy-critical external events affecting its near-term operating environment.

Name

ECPAT International

Legal name

ECPAT International

Website

https://ecpat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ECPAT International is a global civil society network of 141 member organizations across 113 countries that coordinates advocacy, research, and policy reform to end the sexual exploitation of children, partnering with governments, intergovernmental bodies (UNICEF, INTERPOL, Europol, ASEAN), and digital platforms on issues including online CSAM detection and AI-generated deepfakes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Protection Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Child protection advocacy
• Anti-trafficking research
• Online child safety
• Terminology standardization frameworks
• Humanitarian child safeguarding

Headquarters

HQ city

Ratchathewi

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ECPAT International coordinates research, advocacy, and action through a global network of 141 member organizations in 113 countries to end the sexual exploitation of children. Its core deliverables include terminology frameworks (Luxembourg Guidelines), research programs (Disrupting Harm, Global Boys Initiative), policy advocacy on online child safety (Project Beacon), industry standards for travel and tourism (The Code), legal toolkits (Legal Checklist), and public awareness campaigns.

Product overview

ECPAT International is a global network organization (not a technology company) operating across 113 countries with 141 member organizations. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of advocacy programs, research initiatives, guidelines, and educational resources. Key offerings include: Project Beacon (EU digital policy advocacy), the Luxembourg Guidelines (terminology harmonization in 9 languages), Disrupting Harm (technology-focused research with INTERPOL/UNICEF), the Global Boys Initiative, and The Code (travel/tourism industry standards). The organization also produces the VOICE Report, Ending the Silence podcast, and maintains a comprehensive digital library of legal analyses and educational materials. The #ChildSafetyON movement and Children's Bill of Rights serve as advocacy platforms, while the Global Progress Map visualizes impact data. All offerings focus on policy advocacy, research coordination, and awareness-raising rather than commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Beacon: ECPAT's initiative launched in 2021 to advocate for child safety online and influence EU digital policies, including work on the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation.
• Disrupting Harm
• Global Boys Initiative
• The Code (Tourism Child-Protection)
• Luxembourg Guidelines
• ECPAT Luxembourg
• #ChildSafetyON

Products and services

• Luxembourg Guidelines (Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse) Interagency terminology and semantics framework harmonizing definitions related to the protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse. Used by governments, UN agencies, law enforcement, and NGOs to align child protection language across jurisdictions.
• Project Beacon ECPAT's flagship EU-focused advocacy initiative calling for comprehensive legislation to address online child sexual abuse, working with members across the EU to influence digital policy.
• Disrupting Harm Joint research initiative with INTERPOL and UNICEF examining how technology facilitates the sexual exploitation of children across multiple countries, producing evidence that informs ECPAT's policy and advocacy work.
• Global Boys Initiative ECPAT initiative focused on understanding and addressing the sexual exploitation of boys, producing country-specific research and engaging men and boys to advance gender equality.
• The Code (Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism) Industry initiative providing tools and standards for the travel and tourism industry to prevent the sexual exploitation of children, including a voluntourism policy component.
• Legal Checklist (Key Legal Interventions to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism) Policy tool providing governments with 24 key legal interventions to protect children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism; endorsed by ASEAN, AIPA, SAIEVAC, and GARA.
• ECPAT Library / Resources Online repository of research reports, legal analyses, and educational materials covering child sexual exploitation across multiple regions and topics, including multilingual downloads.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76% of adults willing to allow automated tools to detect CSAM online, even compromising privacy (ECPAT/YouGov survey of 9,410 EU adults in 2021)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• DiscordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026Discord and ECPAT International announced a collaboration to develop resources promoting gender-sensitive digital safety and wellbeing for teen users. The partnership focuses on challenging harmful gender norms and stereotypes, including rigid expectations linked to masculinities, and reducing stigma and barriers to help-seeking. ECPAT and Discord are co-designing content and tools for Discord's Wellbeing Hub, including articles and videos on responding to harmful interactions and help-seeking pathways. The partnership is funded by the Caring Masculinity Fund led by Equimundo.
• Luxembourg Guidelines Interagency Working Group (18 international partners)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2016The Interagency Working Group included representatives from African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Child Rights Connect, Council of Europe, ECPAT International, Europol, INHOPE, Instituto Interamericano del niño, la niña y adolescentes (OEA), International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, International Labour Office, International Telecommunication Organisation, INTERPOL. Observers included London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Oak Foundation, University of Bedfordshire, OHCHR, Plan International, Save the Children International, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, UN Special Rapporteur on Sale of Children, UN SRSG on Violence against Children, and UNICEF.
• Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquimundo's CEO Gary Barker leads the Caring Masculinity Fund, which supports organizations worldwide in engaging men and boys to advance gender equality. The fund made this partnership possible by providing financial support. Equimundo is a global leader in engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and social justice.
• European Child Sexual Abuse Legislation Advocacy Group (ECLAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPAT is part of the Steering Group of ECLAG, which advocates for EU legislation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse. ECLAG has been calling on the European Parliament to extend the interim regulation allowing detection of CSAM without weakening its scope.
• DOT EuropecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDOT Europe works with ECLAG and ECPAT to urge Members of the European Parliament to ensure swift adoption of the extension of the temporary derogation from ePrivacy Directive provisions for CSAM detection.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF and ECPAT partnered with INTERPOL on a joint study across 11 countries finding that at least 1.2 million children disclosed having their images manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in the past year. UNICEF issued a statement expressing alarm at the rapid rise in AI-generated sexualized content involving children.
• INTERPOLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPAT partnered with UNICEF and INTERPOL on a joint study across 11 countries on AI-generated sexualized content involving children. The study found 1 in 25 children in some countries had their images manipulated into deepfakes.
• Sharjah (UAE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSharjah leads a regional initiative to develop an Arabic version of internationally recognized terminology guidelines for child sexual exploitation and abuse. ECPAT International is a partner in this project, which involves translations and cultural adaptations to enhance legal and social responses across Arab-speaking communities. The project is funded by KSQF and the Arabic edition is expected to launch in late 2026.
• ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASEAN and ECPAT International developed two key documents to shape coordinated action against child online exploitation and abuse in the ASEAN region: a Declaration and a Regional Plan of Action on the Protection of Children from all Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN.
• WeProtect Global AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeProtect Global Alliance collaborated with ASEAN, UNICEF EAPRO, and ECPAT International on documents to shape meaningful and coordinated action against child online exploitation and abuse. WeProtect's Model National Response provides a framework for global response to this threat.
• NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPAT and NSPCC conducted a 2023 poll revealing that 9 in 10 EU citizens say legislation to end online child sexual abuse and exploitation is key. The joint poll surveyed over 25,000 European citizens on their views about data privacy and child safety online.
• YouGovminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouGov partnered with ECPAT and Defence for Children - ECPAT Netherlands to conduct public opinion polling in 8 EU countries, surveying 9,410 adults on their views about online privacy and child safety.
• INHOPE (International Association of Internet Hotlines)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINHOPE is part of the Luxembourg Guidelines Interagency Working Group and is a key partner in the EU Centre ecosystem for reporting and removing CSAM. ECPAT works with INHOPE on hotlines and detection systems.
• The Code (Code of Conduct to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Code is an initiative that provides support and tools to the travel and tourism industry to prevent the sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT promotes and supports The Code as part of child protection standards in travel and tourism.
• ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIPA adopted a resolution on Eliminating All Forms of Violence and Exploitation of Children that incorporated ECPAT's Legal Checklist. The resolution calls on ASEAN Member States to strengthen and harmonize child protection laws using the checklist.
• SAIEVAC (South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAIEVAC endorsed ECPAT's Legal Checklist as a tool to step-up action to harmonize laws in South Asia to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse, including online safety. This is part of the Regional Action Plan to End Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation including Online Safety.
• Regional Action Group of the Americas (GARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGARA endorsed ECPAT's Legal Checklist to better protect children in the Americas from sexual exploitation by closing gaps in legal and policy frameworks.
• EurochildmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPAT collaborated with Eurochild and Terre des Hommes Netherlands on the VOICE project, which engaged children and caregivers in 15 countries to inform policy discussions on digital safety.
• Terre des Hommes NetherlandsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPAT collaborated with Eurochild and Terre des Hommes Netherlands on the VOICE project (Down to Zero Alliance), engaging children and caregivers in 15 countries to inform policy discussions on digital safety.
• Defence for Children – ECPAT NetherlandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPAT's member organization in the Netherlands that partnered on public opinion polling about online privacy and child safety in 8 EU countries, surveying 9,410 adults.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WeProtect Global Alliance: Global alliance coordinating policy responses to online child sexual exploitation. Partner on the Model National Response and ASEAN Regional Plan, with overlapping member-network model and advocacy focus.
• NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children): UK-based child protection charity running awareness, policy, and direct-service programs. Joint research partner with ECPAT on EU polling and coordinated advocacy, with analogous NGO structure and child protection remit.
• ECPAT-USA / ECPAT USA: US-based ECPAT national member coalition focused on ending commercial sexual exploitation of children. Direct peer as a sister organization within ECPAT's own global federation, sharing the child-protection mission and network model in the US context.
• Eurochild: European network of children's rights organizations advocating for child welfare in the EU. ECPAT co-led the VOICE project with Eurochild across 15 countries; directly comparable in mission, governance model, and EU-policy focus.
• INHOPE (International Association of Internet Hotlines): Global association of internet hotlines combating online CSAM. Interagency Working Group partner on the Luxembourg Guidelines and EU CSAM detection ecosystem — directly comparable as a non-profit member network focused on online child sexual exploitation.
• Defence for Children International (DCI): International movement of associations working to advance children's rights and juvenile justice globally. DCI's national affiliate Defence for Children – ECPAT Netherlands co-conducts polling with ECPAT, reflecting close mission and method overlap.
• ChildFund International: International NGO focused on protecting vulnerable children across more than 25 countries. Peer through parallel sponsorship/advocacy model and child welfare mandate, though less specialized specifically on sexual exploitation.
• Terre des Hommes International Federation: International federation with national members across multiple countries focused on children's rights and protection from exploitation. Direct peer — ECPAT co-publishes research (e.g., VOICE Report) with Terre des Hommes Netherlands, indicating overlapping mission and constituency.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children International: Global NGO focused on children's rights and welfare across 120+ countries. Directly comparable as a member-based international NGO advocating for children's protection, with overlapping policy advocacy and programming mandates, though operating at much larger scale with broader scope.

Others

• INTERPOL (ICSE): International police cooperation body whose International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database screens CSAM reports. Joint research partner with ECPAT on Disrupting Harm and the AI-generated abuse study — comparable as an ecosystem participant in child exploitation response, though governmental rather than civil society.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ecpat
• Facebookfacebook.com/ecpat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecpat-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecpat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ECPAT International