In 2022, we have seen some progress in advancing child and youth participation in global policy and decision-making processes. It brings us joy and hope to witness the increased involvement of children and young people in discussions that directly impact their lives.

To amplify children’s voices everywhere, we facilitated their participation -for the first time ever- at the 5th Global Conference on the elimination of child labour held, by the International Labour Organisation, in May 2022. On this occasion, we organised a Children’s Forum where 60 young participants shared their perspectives and recommendations on child labour with decision-makers. Additionally, we launched a new Child Labour report under the initiative, “Building Back Better after COVID-19 – together with children as protagonists.” This report encapsulates the insights and recommendations of children from Peru and India, shedding light on the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives.

However, the challenges of 2022 have been formidable, marked by multiple crises that unfolded simultaneously and that were often interconnected. The lingering socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the inflation in energy and food prices due to the conflict in Ukraine, plunged millions of families into poverty and widened global inequalities making children more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Natural disasters linked to climate change -major floods and droughts- and violent conflicts, as witnessed in Ukraine, displaced millions of families and children. Across Low and Middle Income Countries today, two in three children are in food poverty i.e., not receiving a sufficiently diverse diet to develop to their full potential. The number of forcibly displaced
persons worldwide has surpassed 100 million, including 41 million children. At least 110
million children will require humanitarian aid in 2023.

In the face of these adversities, Terre des Hommes took proactive and robust measures to safeguard children’s rights worldwide. More specifically, we prioritised ensuring a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable environment for children, ending all forms of violence against them as well as abuse and exploitation, improving the protection of children on the
move, and finally, enhancing child and youth participation. This year, through the implementation of 890 projects in 68 countries across the globe, we have supported 8,204,543 persons –children and young people as well as their family and community members.

Another pivotal focus in 2022 was ensuring children’s safety online. The increasing digitalisation, where at least two images or videos of child sexual abuse are shared online every second and the number of websites commercially exploiting the sexual abuse of children have doubled since 2020, underscores the urgency of our work in this area. Terre des Hommes has actively engaged in campaigns to raise awareness about this issue and contributed to the discussion on a new EU regulation proposal aimed at preventing and combating child sexual abuse online.

Collaboration has been at the heart of our efforts, as we forged new joint campaigns and strengthened partnerships with organisations and coalitions that share our vision such as the “Joining Forces for Children” alliance -which comprises the six largest child-focused NGOs worldwide. This year, we also joined the Advisory Board of Experts of the project, “Bootstrap – Boosting Societal Adaptation and Mental Health in a Rapidly Digitalising, Post-Pandemic Europe”, which aims to investigate the problematic internet usage of young people and find innovative solutions.

To build a better world for and with children, we developed the Operational Plan of our multi-annual Strategy (until 2025) and launched its implementation. This strategic roadmap guides all our efforts to realise Terre des Hommes’ vision and ensure that every child has a safe and enjoyable childhood, that every young person feels empowered and that every community we work with is actively engaged. As we reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the past year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our donors, supporters, partners, volunteers, and dedicated staff. Your unwavering commitment and long-term dedication have been instrumental in our pursuit of a safer and more friendly world for children. Together, we stand united, resilient, and determined to create a future where
every child can thrive and fulfil their potential.

Thank you for being part of this journey.