| The World Congress is a global meeting of governments, NGOs, international organizations, academics, media and individuals, convened to map out the programme of action that must be taken to combat commercial sexual exploitation of children. The First World Congress on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996, from which emerged the Declaration and Agenda for Action, which included specific milestones to be achieved by the year 2000 to protect children from the violation of their right to live free from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation.
The Second World Congress on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, hosted by the Japanese Government, took place in Yokohama in December 2001. One of the main outcomes of the Congress was the re-commitment to the Stockholm Declaration and A4A and the identification of specific targeted work to be taken up in the different regions of the world. The outcome document of the Congress, entitled the Yokohama Global Commitment (YGC), calls on the international community to promote further their actions towards the eradication of the child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking in children for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
World Congress III is an important opportunity to renew global commitment to combating sexual exploitation of children and to galvanize international will and support for the concrete action required to guarantee the right of children and adolescents to be protected from sexual exploitation. The Congress will also provide an opportunity to assess progress and review emerging trends in order to adjust and refine the conceptual and practical tools that will be used to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children at the global level, as well as define measurable targets that can be achieved through a more empathic focused and concerted effort. |
