Project report

Discord announces partnership with child protection NGO ECPAT International to support teen users

emmab · 16 Apr 2026

Abstract

Discord announces partnership with child protection NGO ECPAT International to support teen users New collaboration will develop learning resources to challenge harmful gender norms and support healthier online experiences == 15 April 2026: Today, Discord, the communications platform that enables you to build connections around playing games, and child protection NGO ECPAT International have announced a new collaboration to develop resources that promote gender-sensitive digital safety and wellbeing for teen users. The partnership will focus on challenging harmful gender norms and stereotypes, including rigid expectations linked to masculinities, and reducing stigma and barriers to help-seeking. The partnership has been made possible by the Caring Masculinity Fund, led by Gary Barker, CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice to support organizations worldwide in engaging men and boys to advance gender equality. The collaboration draws on ECPAT International’s guidance on gender-sensitive safety and other existing research and evidence. Together, the partners are co-designing content and tools that support healthier online engagement and safer digital communities. “Strong communities thrive when people feel safe and supported,” said Savannah Badalich, Senior Director of Product Policy at Discord. “Through this partnership with ECPAT International, we’re providing guidance that helps teens, parents, and volunteer community moderators foster more inclusive environments and reduce barriers to asking for help.” “Our partnership with Discord marks a pivotal moment as we look for positive solutions to counter common online behaviors, such as banter, teasing, and mocking which can negatively impact young men and teens,” says Francesco Cecon, ECPAT International. “It’s a clear demonstration of how civil society organisations and platforms like Discord can come together as allies and learn from one another. We firmly believe in the potential of gaming, and the work we are doing specifically with Discord, to transform ideas of masculinities and gender norms for good.” Key areas for collaboration between Discord and ECPAT include: Resources for Discord’s Wellbeing Hub ECPAT International and Discord will co-develop short-form content (articles and/or videos) for Discord’s Wellbeing Hub, covering topics such as responding to harmful interactions, help-seeking pathways, and gender-informed approaches to online safety and wellbeing. Learn more about ECPAT International’s work: https://ecpat.org Press Contacts Rebecca Ladbury rebecca@ladburypr.com Laura Phillips-Alvarez l.phillipsalvarez@equimundo.org press@equimundo.org Notes to editors About Discord Discord is the communications platform that enables you to build meaningful connections around the joy of playing games through voice, video and text features. As a communications platform purposely built for people who play multiplayer games, Discord has a highly engaged community of +200 million monthly active users who spend a combined 1.9 billion hours playing games each month across thousands of game titles. Headquartered in San Francisco, Discord is free to download at Discord.com with an optional subscription offering called Nitro that offers enhanced streaming and customization features. About ECPAT International ECPAT International is a global network of civil society organisations working to end the sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT International supports advocacy, research, and collaboration to strengthen child protection systems and promote safer environments for children and young people, including online. About the Caring Masculinity Fund In May 2024, Melinda French Gates named Gary Barker, President and CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, as one of 12 global leaders to distribute a $20 million fund to organizations doing urgent, impactful, and innovative work to improve women’s health and well-being worldwide. The initiative is part of Pivotal Ventures efforts to mobilize billions of dollars toward advancing women’s power globally. Gary Barker and Equimundo staff advise on distributing these funds through the ‘Caring Masculinity Fund’ to organisations around the world that support men and boys’ active participation as caregivers, citizens and partners in achieving gender equality. The Fund presents an unprecedented opportunity to engage and work in partnership with governments, legislators, media content creators, workplaces, corporations and civil society organisations to multiply the impact of the fund and reach hundreds of millions of men and boys globally. About Equimundo Equimundo is a global leader in engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and social justice. Through research, advocacy, and programming, Equimundo works with partners worldwide to advance caring, connected, and equitable masculinities. The post Discord announces partnership with child protection NGO ECPAT International to support teen users appeared first on ECPAT.