Terre des Hommes International

Terre des Hommes began in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1960. Its founder, Edmond Kaiser, chose the name from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's 1939 philosophical memoir Terre des hommes. The organization developed from a child-relief initiative into an international movement whose members use a shared name while retaining independent legal and operational structures. The resulting federation, the International Federation of Terre des Hommes, brings together organizations working in child welfare, humanitarian relief and children's rights. Its members have operated in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, often through partnerships with local organizations. The network's work has covered immediate relief as well as longer-term development, including health care, education, social support, protection from exploitation, migration assistance and access to justice. A defining feature of the movement is its combination of field intervention and advocacy. Terre des Hommes organizations support children and families affected by war, disaster, poverty, malnutrition and displacement, while also seeking changes in public policy and institutional practice. Promoting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a central part of the federation's identity. The organization also has a consultative relationship with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, giving it a formal channel for contributing to international discussions. National members have built distinct program profiles. The Swiss Tdh Foundation has focused on health, migration and access to justice and has worked in more than 30 countries. The German organization has supported projects in numerous countries through regional offices and country programs. The Dutch organization has worked with locally created and managed projects, while members in Spain, Luxembourg and France have combined development cooperation, medical assistance, education, awareness-building and rights advocacy. These activities are not a single standardized service but a federation-wide portfolio adapted to local needs. Terre des Hommes has also used campaigns to bring international child-protection concerns to public attention. Destination Unknown addresses children on the move, including migrant and displaced children. Children Win focuses on mega-sporting events and seeks to ensure that children are considered in the planning and impact of such events. In 2013, Terre des Hommes Netherlands conducted the Sweetie investigation into webcam child-sex tourism. The project documented adults attempting to pay for sexual performances by a child online, transmitted information about suspected offenders to Interpol and helped stimulate international debate about proactive investigation and digital child protection. The organization's history also includes controversy. In 2008, Terre des Hommes-Lausanne filed a defamation action against Jill Campbell, a teacher in Ethiopia, after she alleged that senior personnel at a Terre des Hommes-linked center had known about and concealed child abuse. The case was withdrawn before the scheduled sentencing after the organization accepted an apology from Campbell's husband. The dispute highlighted the difficult accountability questions facing humanitarian organizations operating through local facilities and partners. In 2018, Terre des Hommes received the Balzan Prize, providing international recognition for its contribution to children and children's rights. Today, Terre des Hommes remains an active federation rather than a conventional corporate brand. Its continuing model is based on independent national organizations, field programs, local partnerships, child participation, public advocacy and international campaigning.

• 2018

  Balzan Prize recognition

  [1]Terre des hommesen.wikipedia.org

  Terre des Hommes receives the Balzan Prize for its work on behalf of children.

• 2013

  Sweetie digital child-protection investigation

  [1]Terre des hommesen.wikipedia.org

  Terre des Hommes Netherlands exposes alleged webcam child-sex tourism and provides information about suspected offenders to Interpol.

• 2008

  Ethiopian defamation dispute

  [1]Terre des hommesen.wikipedia.org

  The Lausanne organization brings a defamation case over allegations concerning abuse at a child center in Ethiopia and later withdraws the action.

• 1966

  Terre des Hommes Luxembourg is constituted

  [1]Terre des hommesen.wikipedia.org

  The Luxembourg member organization is established as a nonprofit focused on improving the circumstances of children and raising awareness of development issues.

• 1960

  Terre des Hommes is founded in Lausanne

  [1]Terre des hommesen.wikipedia.org

  Edmond Kaiser establishes the child-relief organization in Switzerland and names it after Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's memoir Terre des hommes.

An international, child-focused humanitarian federation combining direct assistance, rights-based advocacy, protection work and public campaigning.

• Humanitarian and social services

  Child protection and safeguarding

  Programs intended to protect children from violence, abuse, exploitation, trafficking and other forms of harm. Activities can include prevention, case support, referral systems, awareness work and cooperation with public authorities and local organizations.

• Child health

  Health and medical assistance

  Member organizations provide child-health, maternal-health and medical-support services in countries affected by poverty, conflict or limited access to care. Spanish Terre des Hommes activities include the Journey towards Life program for children receiving medical assistance.

• Migration support

  Migration and child-on-the-move programs

  These programs address the risks faced by migrant, displaced and otherwise mobile children. They combine protection, access to services, participation and advocacy, including through the Destination Unknown campaign.

• Rights advocacy

  Access to justice and children's-rights advocacy

  Terre des Hommes works to strengthen children's ability to claim their rights and to encourage governments and institutions to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The work includes policy engagement, information dissemination and support for children's participation.

• 2008

  Ethiopian abuse allegations and defamation lawsuit

  Teacher Jill Campbell alleged that senior personnel at a Terre des Hommes-linked center in the Ethiopian village of Jari knew about child abuse, concealed it and failed to notify authorities. Terre des Hommes-Lausanne brought a defamation action, but withdrew it before the scheduled sentencing after an apology from Campbell's husband. The dispute raised concerns about safeguarding oversight and accountability in humanitarian operations.

  Source

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• 2013Sweetie webcam child-sex-tourism investigation

  International · The Netherlands · The Philippines

  Terre des Hommes Netherlands created a motion-captured virtual bait representing a Filipino girl to document adults attempting to arrange online sexual performances by children. The project was conducted with Avaaz and generated evidence concerning suspects in many countries.

  Outcome. Information on more than 1,000 suspected offenders from over 65 countries was handed to Interpol; the project was followed by arrests, rescues and international media attention.

  Source
• Destination Unknown – Children on the Move

  International

  An international campaign focused on protecting children who migrate or are otherwise on the move, including children affected by displacement and irregular migration.

  Source
• Children Win – Changing the Game of Mega Sporting Events

  International

  A campaign seeking to place children's rights and interests within the planning, governance and legacy discussions surrounding mega-sporting events.

  Source
• Stop Child Trafficking

  Spain

  A Terre des Hommes Spain awareness campaign addressing forms of child exploitation and trafficking.

  Source

• 2013

  Use of digital investigation to combat webcam child-sex tourismStrategy

  Background

  Terre des Hommes Netherlands identified online sexual exploitation of children as a cross-border problem that was difficult to detect through conventional local reporting.

  Action taken

  It used the Sweetie virtual persona to document approaches by alleged offenders and shared the resulting information with Interpol.

  Aftermath

  The investigation contributed to arrests and rescues and intensified calls for governments to adopt proactive investigative policies.

  Source

• 2008

  Withdrawal of Ethiopian defamation actionOther

  Background

  The organization had sued over allegations that personnel connected with an Ethiopian child center had concealed abuse.

  Action taken

  Terre des Hommes-Lausanne withdrew the case after determining that an apology from the teacher's husband was sufficient.

  Aftermath

  The withdrawal ended the immediate legal action but left the episode as a significant public accountability controversy.

  Source

1. 1Terre des hommesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Terre des Hommes International Federationterredeshommes.org
3. 3Destination Unknown – Children on the Movedestination-unknown.org
4. 4Children Win – Changing the Game of Mega Sporting Eventschildrenwin.org