SANPHASIT KOOMPRAPHANT
2001 HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Center of the Protection of Children’s Rights
Thailand
Sanphasit Koompraphant has been improving the lives of children for more than 20 years. He was one of the first to expose the issues of child trafficking, abduction and prostitution in Thailand and the Mekong region.
Koompraphant serves on the committee for the Center of the Protection of Children’s Rights (CPCR), which was established in 1982 to assist children who had been neglected, abandoned, physically abused or exploited through child labor. Under Koompraphant’s leadership, CPCR became involved in combating the commercial sexual exploitation of children and began to help children who had been sexually abused or sold into prostitution.
After serving as an Honoree for World of Children, Koompraphant has been involved in a number of large projects involving the prevention of child trafficking and fighting for other children’s rights. He is working to develop the Child Witness Support project in collaboration with the British Council, UNICEF and the National Youth Bureau. The purpose of this project is to provide training for social workers, psychologists and others who work with children during the judicial process. He is also working to establish a child protection system in Thailand to prevent child trafficking and writing child laws to accompany the system. Being a World of Children Honoree has given him hope and encouragement for his work in years to come.