KSQF steps up international action to safeguard children

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, marked annually on July 30, the global community is once again confronted with a deeply uncomfortable truth: children are among the most exploited, most vulnerable, and least protected populations in the world.

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Child exploitation and human trafficking have surged post-pandemic, with a 318 rise in detected child trafficking victims. Meanwhile, nearly 138 million children remain trapped in child labour globally, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF—a slight decline from previous estimates of 160 million, but still alarmingly high. These figures not only underscore the scale of the crisis but also illustrate the cyclical nature of harm, where each crisis further entrenches children in a system of exploitation and abuse.

As governments, NGOs, and advocacy groups spotlight the growing threats of exploitation, one organisation is pushing the conversation beyond awareness and toward urgent, systemic action.

The Khalid Bin Sultan Al Qasimi Humanitarian Foundation (KSQF), based in Sharjah, is implementing a proactive strategy to protect children by rewiring the structures that allow abuse, trafficking, and injustice to persist.

KSQF recognises that today's crises are interconnected; displacement caused by climate disasters leads to school dropouts, heightening children's exposure to trafficking, and conflict and poverty push children into labour and criminal networks.