Down to Zero

The economic stress and disruption to education resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak is increasing the cases of  sexual exploitation of children.

Vulnerable children in Latin America and in Asia are less able to protect themselves from the impact of the pandemic. They urgently need protection during this difficult time. 

Down To Zero, an alliance of Terre des Hommes Netherlands (lead), Plan International Netherlands, Defence for Children - ECPAT, Free a Girl and ICCO Cooperation, aims to ensure that children and youth are better protected when at risk or victim of sexual exploitation, during and in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Down To Zero’s Building Back Better program is ensuring that children are able to:

• Get access to services to protect, rehabilitate, reintegrate and reduce their vulnerability.
• Advocate for continued SEC prevention and response.

In parallel, the program is strengthening:

• Parents, caregivers, and community leaders to provide a protective shield around children.
• Actors in the Child Protection System to prevent and advocate for protection.
• Public institutions and the private sector prioritize SEC within the child protection agenda.

The Building Back Better program is aiming to help more than 100.000 individuals and 1000 organisations in Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand) and in Latin America (Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, Brazil, Dominican Republic).

Governments have the primary responsibility for putting in place the appropriate legislation and child protection system (including services), to prevent and protect children from sexual exploitation. However, in the countries Down to Zero operates in, child protection systems suffer from policy-flaws, poor implementation and enforcement of laws, little investment in protective services and lengthy court proceedings. Child Protection Systems in the 5 target countries are not sufficiently child-, youth- and gender-sensitive, there is often low political commitment and insufficient capacity to implement Child Protection Systems. 

‘Youth Voices for Change’ is an initiative of the Down To Zero Alliance that seeks to prevent the sexual
exploitation of children and adolescents by amplifying the voices of young leaders for change in Latin America and Asia.

The goal is to position young leaders as central agents of change, to improve child protection systems in Asia and Latin America through lobby & advocacy and capacity building at local, regional, national and cross-border level to international level.