A world in which children are no longer exploited. We will continue our work until this is accomplished.

Our mission

Terre des Hommes Netherlands prevents child exploitation, removes children from exploitative situations and ensures these children can develop themselves in a safe environment.

Our vision

Terre des Hommes Netherlands works towards a world where all children have a decent life and can grow up to be independent adults. A world in which children are no longer exploited. We will continue our work until this is accomplished.

Our focus

Child exploitation is about serious violations ofthe rights of the child. Our definition covers:

• worst forms of child labour (according to Convention 182 of the ILO);
• child trafficking and migration
• sexual exploitation of children
• child abuse

Stopping child exploitation, the most serious violations of the rights of the child, is the main focus of Terre des Hommes Netherlands. This is not an easy fight; poverty can drive people to despair and prosecuting perpetrators of child exploitation is rarely a priority for local authorities. But Terre des Hommes Netherlands does not give up and remains committed, with its local partners, to realising a world without child exploitation.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child forms the basis of our work. We offer help without discrimination against race, religion, gender or political inclination. Because we believe that every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment without exploitation.

Nowadays around 30 employees in The Hague, 70 local colleagues in the regions and over 1,800 volunteers in the Netherlands are dedicated to stopping child exploitation. They are, in turn, supported by tens of thousands of donors and companies. Together they aim to accomplish one dream: a world without child exploitation.

Over 45 years of experience in East Africa and Asia

Terre des Hommes Netherlands can boast of an extensive experience and an expansive network in East Africa. Over the years, we have partnered and intensively collaborated with over 100 civil society organisations. We started our work in East Africa in 1968, with single projects in Kenya and Uganda. Gradually our programme has expanded, into Ethiopia in 1978 and into Tanzania in 1994. Our first permanent base on the continent, the regional office for East Africa, was set up in Nairobi in 1984.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands is a long-lasting development partner in Asia. We started our operations in the seventies to support Bangladeshi refugees in India during the liberation war in 1971. In 1986 our regional office in Indonesia was established for Southeast Asia and in 1989 our regional office for South Asia was set up in Sri Lanka. We expanded our activities to other Asian countries over the years. In the course of 2015 the two regions, South Asia and Southeast Asia were merged into one region, Asia, and in 2016 we established our regional office in Cambodia. Over the years we have partnered and intensively collaborated with almost 700 non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nepal,  Philippines, Syria, and Thailand to improve the lives of vulnerable, abused and exploited children.

Terre des Hommes International Federation

Terre des Hommes Netherlands is a member of the Terre des Hommes International Federation.

Child safeguarding policy

Terre des Hommes has developed a Child Safeguarding Policy with an underlying Code of Conduct to serve as minimum standards within our projects, as a measure to promote well-being and safety for the optimal development of children. Read our Child Safeguarding Policy.