Heidi De Pauw

Last updated
Heidi De Pauw
Born (1972-02-18) February 18, 1972 (age 52)
Aalst, Belgium
NationalityBelgian
OccupationHuman Rights Activist
Known forCEO of Child Focus

Heidi De Pauw (born February 18, 1972, in Aalst, Belgium) is a human rights activist and CEO of Child Focus, the Belgian Foundation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children. She is also a regular keynote speaker, trainer, and expert for international programs on children's rights, missing and sexually exploited children, and children in conflict zones. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Heidi De Pauw was born on February 18, 1972, in Aalst, Belgium. She holds a master's degree in Criminological Sciences from the University of Ghent [4] and a degree in Human and Social Sciences from the University of Patras, Greece. Additionally, she obtained a degree in Business Administration from the EHSAL Management School in Brussels. [5] [6] [7]

Career

De Pauw began her career at the Home Affairs Prevention Service, managing safety and prevention projects related to drug abuse and disappearances. [8] Shortly after Child Focus was founded in 1998, she became one of the first Case Managers, assisting victims of disappearances and sexual exploitation and their families. [9] [10] Three years later, she became Study & Development Manager within the newly created Child Focus Study & Development department, where she developed and implemented key national and EU prevention projects. [11] [12]

As Secretary General of Eurochild, De Pauw led the European non-profit organization focused on fighting child poverty and social exclusion. [13] In 2005, she became Director of PAG-ASA, a specialized center for victims of trafficking, where she served for six years. [14] [15] [16]

At the end of 2011, she returned to Child Focus as CEO. [17] [18] De Pauw is former Deputy Chairwoman of Missing Children Europe, the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children, and is now Special Representative of the Patron's Council of Missing Children Europe. [19] [20] She is President of the Board of Minor Ndako and Juna vzw, a shelter for unaccompanied minors and underage victims of human trafficking. [21] [22] [23] She is a former board member of several organizations, including V-Europe, [24] and Tout Bien Okidoki. [25] [26] She is a board member of the Queen Paola Foundation [27] and the VRT, the public broadcaster of the Flemish Community. [28] [29] [30] Also, she is a patron of WOMENPOL, the Belgian Network of Policewomen. [31]

Until May 2021, Heidi De Pauw was a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Lottery. [32] [33] Since August 2022, she is a member of the advisory board of Debateville, a debate program. [34] [35]

In 2022, Heidi De Pauw was appointed a Commander in the Order of the Crown for her contributions as CEO of Child Focus in the transfer of 40 Ukrainian disabled children and Belgian children from Syrian prison camps to Belgium. [36] [37] [38]

Since June 2023, Heidi De Pauw is founder and Vice President of Antwerp Diamonds FC, a women's football club. [39] [40] In December 2023, she joined the Board of Directors of INHOPE, the global network against CSAM. [41] In April 2024, Heidi joined the Biz Board Lotto Super League (Pro League). [42] [43] In 2024, Heidi De Pauw left the position of CEO at Child Focus. [44] [45]

Additionally, De Pauw was a mentor in the program "Inspiring Mentor & Young Leaders" and an Independent Coach for "Gangmakers," [46] the academy of talents of the Open VLD (Liberal Party). [47] [48] She chaired the Parliamentary Working Group on the protection of children at the federal level, composed of field experts, representatives of Cabinets, and members of Parliament. [49] [50] As an expert and trainer for ICMPD, she specializes in human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of particularly vulnerable groups, such as minors. [51] [52] [53]

Publications

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References

  1. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw: "Ik sta nog altijd met veel goesting op om dat steentje te verleggen in het belang van kinderen"". Radio 1 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  2. ↑ "ECLAG". Child Safety in Europe. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  3. ↑ "Europol sorgt sich um verschwundene Flüchtlingskinder". Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). 10 January 2019. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  4. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw". University of Ghent. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  5. ↑ "Belgium can't keep Islamic State fighters' families out". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  6. ↑ "Megakinderpornozaak België: de schrik van elke ouder". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  7. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw: Geen Paniek". Het Belang van Limburg (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  8. ↑ "Geen Paniek". Hebban (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  9. ↑ "Child Focus: Europe's Amber Alert". BBC News. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  10. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw stopt na 20 jaar bij Child Focus: "Vorig jaar hadden we 32% meer verdwijningen, een signaal dat het niet goed gaat met de jeugd"". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  11. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw stops as CEO of Child Focus after 12 years". De Standaard (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  12. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw stops as CEO of Child Focus after 12 years". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  13. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw, directrice de Child Focus: "Osez laisser partir votre enfant"". Plus Magazine (in French). 25 June 2019. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  14. ↑ "OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2005". OSCE. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  15. ↑ "Child Focus CEO Heidi De Pauw: "Ik heb geleerd dat ik mijn emoties niet moet wegsteken"". De Tijd (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  16. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw". Cumuleo (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  17. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw vertrekt bij Child Focus". VRT NWS (in Dutch). 23 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  18. ↑ "Na 12 jaar kondigt Heidi De Pauw haar vertrek bij Child Focus aan". Child Focus (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  19. ↑ "President's engagements February 17, 2019". Times of Malta. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  20. ↑ "20 Years of Action for Missing Children". Missing Children Europe. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  21. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw". Cumuleo. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  22. ↑ "Minor Ndako Jaarverslag 2020" (PDF). Minor Ndako (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  23. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw in bestuur VRT". De Bestuurder (in Dutch). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  24. ↑ "CEO Child Focus Heidi De Pauw over keuzes maken, kansen geven en impact maken". 50 Koffies (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  25. ↑ "Naar een Vlaamse maatschappij met minder zelfdodingen". De Specialist (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  26. ↑ "Tout Bien Okidoki". Bizzy (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  27. ↑ "PLAZA magazine 2020" (PDF). Le Plaza Events. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  28. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw: "Als criminoloog ben ik verslingerd aan true crime"". Humo (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  29. ↑ "Derde meer dossiers van verdwijningen en seksuele uitbuiting bij Child Focus: "We kunnen niet meer volgen"". Radio 1 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  30. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw in Winteruur". VRT MAX (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  31. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw stopt na 20 jaar bij Child Focus: "Vorig jaar hadden we 32% meer verdwijningen, een signaal dat het niet goed gaat met de jeugd"". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  32. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw". ContactOut. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  33. ↑ "Content Connections". Issuu. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  34. ↑ "Over ons". Debateville (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  35. ↑ "Debateville-oprichter Sophie Buysse: "Alleen als je niets doet, kan je niets verkeerd doen"". De Tijd (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  36. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw vertrekt bij Child Focus". VRT NWS (in Dutch). 23 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  37. ↑ "Child Focus-directrice Heidi De Pauw: "Haal de kinderen terug"". VRT NWS (in Dutch). 14 October 2019. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  38. ↑ "King Philippe of Belgium awards ten titles of nobility and honorary decorations". The Brussels Times. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  39. ↑ "Antwerp Diamonds FC". Pappers (in French). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  40. ↑ "Vrienden Heidi De Pauw en Walter Damen: "Als ik echt kwaad ben, klop ik op mijn boksbal"". Knack (in Dutch). 26 August 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  41. ↑ "Meet the INHOPE Board: Heidi De Pauw". INHOPE. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  42. ↑ "Pro League en Child Focus investeren in welzijn jongste spelers". Pro League (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  43. ↑ "92 Radio Radzinski met Heidi De Pauw over Child Focus en machos in de voetbalwereld". BRUZZ (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  44. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw stopt bij Child Focus en wil competenties inzetten voor andere projecten". De Morgen (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  45. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw says goodbye to Child Focus, but who is this CEO who is also in good standing with the royal family?". Ground News. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  46. ↑ "Ylim". YLIM. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  47. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw". Cumuleo (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  48. ↑ "We hebben een eerste minister nodig met het leiderschap van Filip". De Morgen (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  49. ↑ "Parliamentary Working Group on the protection of children". Senate of Belgium (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  50. ↑ "Heidi De Pauw". University of Ghent. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  51. ↑ "Evaluation EU MS THB legislation" (PDF). ICMPD. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  52. ↑ "To a feminist voice: To the agency of women against trafficking and forced labour - Closing speech by the President of UMAR". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  53. ↑ "Report of the Experts Group on Trafficking in Human Beings" (PDF). La Strada International. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
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