Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is the preeminent international nongovernmental organization devoted to the protection of unaccompanied and separated children. KIND envisions a world in which every unaccompanied child on the move has access to legal representation and has their rights and well-being protected as they migrate alone in search of safety.
In 2008, KIND was founded by the Microsoft Corporation and Co-Founder and Patron Angelina Jolie to address the gap in legal services for unaccompanied children. KIND has offices and staff across the United States, Mexico, and Europe. Our team, and KIND’s extensive network of private sector pro bono and nongovernmental (NGO) partners provide unaccompanied children with innovative, holistic care that includes legal representation and psychosocial support.
Through strategic partnerships, KIND provides pro bono legal representation for forcibly displaced children across the United States, and we work to replicate this same model abroad. We partner with governments, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector to instill a shared commitment to the protection of unaccompanied and separated children through training, technical assistance, and capacity strengthening. Since its inception, KIND has received referrals for tens of thousands of cases, and protects children through direct legal assistance and by leveraging the pro bono legal resources provided by hundreds of law firm, corporate, law school, and bar association partners.
In addition, through our comprehensive psychosocial support programming, KIND complements its legal program by bringing a truly holistic approach to protecting children on the move alone. We have connected thousands of children—and their care providers— with essential medical care, mental health care, access to education, and crisis intervention to ensure their safety and well-being.
Beyond U.S. borders, KIND’s Mexico-based offices and our work with partners on the ground in Central America strive to address the root causes that force children to flee for safety, protect children during their journey, and connect repatriated children to essential services. Through our European initiative, KIND and partners in Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom work to ensure access to high-quality pro bono legal assistance for unaccompanied children in Europe and to advocate for systemic reforms to support protection of children on the move.
