World Childhood Foundation was founded in 1999 by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, who felt a compelling need to address the social and emotional poverty of children around the world. The mission of Childhood is to defend the rights of the child and to promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children at risk all over the world. Childhood wants to give all children the opportunity to develop into strong, secure and responsible human beings.

14 Co-Founders – family foundations, private individuals and companies – contributed to the Childhood’s initial capital. The return of this capital has covered the administrative costs, meaning that more than 90 percent of all donations received are fully used for the projects supported by Childhood. Corporate partnerships are organized into categories where different levels of financial commitments offer certain rights and opportunities corresponding to the investment made in Childhood.

Childhood identifies, evaluates, and supports existing organizations and efforts that are aligned with our mission. The aim is to support projects more effectively by funding local organizations that work towards established goals and directly with children in need. Childhood also works actively to raise public awareness about how vulnerable and exploited children are suffering in various parts of the world. The best interests of the child are always a primary consideration, where the objective of all project services must be the well-being of the Child.

Childhood supports over 100 projects in 16 countries, working with children who are victims of abuse, families at risk, children in alternative care and street children. Childhood believes that preventive measures create the best long-term results. Therefore, Childhood supports projects that identify children who are at risk of becoming exploited, abused or neglected.