On 18 October, the EU Anti-Trafficking Day, ten European civil society organizations received the Child10 Award at the Royal Castle in Stockholm, Sweden. GAF is among the awarded organizations selected from over 130 nominations across Europe. The Award acknowledges GAF impactful work against human trafficking and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children and was presented by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden.

According to the UNODC Global Report on Trafficking, one in three victims of trafficking is a child. Human trafficking is now ranked as the world's third most profitable crime category after drugs and weapons. The organisations recognised and receiving the Award today all work in extremely challenging environments in a field that is under-resourced and often hidden due to the nature of the crime.

– In the wake of the pandemic and with the climate crisis, wars and ongoing conflicts, children today are more vulnerable than ever. Collaboration and impactful solutions are, therefore, of the utmost importance to protect children and secure their rights. The organizations honored today demonstrate that it is possible to achieve a world where no child is a victim of trafficking and exploitation and in doing so, underline the crucial role of civil society to protect vulnerable children, both in Sweden and in Europe, says Jacob Flärdh, Secretary General of Child10.

The Child10 Awarded Members have been working together throughout 2022 to identify best practices, develop effective and durable solutions to joint challenges and find a collective voice to do stronger advocacy together.

– This year's winners are all dedicated experts in the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children in Europe.

Child10 Awarded Members 2022:

ACPE, France

ATINA, Serbia

APRAMP, Spain

Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Croatia

Child Focus, Belgium

Gender Alternatives Foundation, Bulgaria

Network Against Human Trafficking, Germany

Protect Children, Finland

Society Ključ, Slovenia

Storasyster, Sweden

On 23.11.2021, the team of Gender Alternatives Foundation organized a training of youth 14 to 17 years old under the project “ON-OFF. Switch On your mind, switch OFF gender-based violence online”.

The young people participated in a Workshop named Online and offline relations.

They were explained that gender-based violence is a rising global issue, with potentially significant economic and societal implications, due to the increasing scope of the internet, the rapid dissemination of mobile knowledge, and its widespread usage of social media, along with the current violent pandemic against women and girls.

On 28.10.2021, the team of Gender Alternatives Foundation organized a training of youth 14 to 17 years old under the project “ON-OFF. Switch On your mind, switch OFF gender-based violence online”.

The young people participated in a Workshop named Online gender based violence in its different forms and misuse of new technologies.

The participants were explained that as technology and the internet have entered all spheres of our lives, they have the potential of amplifying the reach of information in any field. This can have positive and negative consequences, as happens with every tool. Particularly, concerning online gender based violence, the misuse of the internet and new technologies can penetrate in the lives of victims, even offline.