The participation of young people is critical in combating the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and integrating their experience and perspective is vital for developing appropriate measures for their protection. Children and young people must have opportunities to express their views, advocate for their own rights, assist their peers and influence decision-making on issues that affect them. In this way they can contribute to their own protection and to the overall development of their communities.

ECPAT works to build the awareness and capacity of children and young people to combat CSEC and to support their participation in all ECPAT initiatives. ECPAT supports concrete actions coordinated and implemented by children, thus a youth network has been established, together with the ECPAT International Child and Youth Advisory Committee (EICYAC). The latter is composed of regional youth representatives elected by the youth networks working with ECPAT groups around the world. ECPAT youth are represented in the governing Board of ECPAT International by a Youth Representative, who is further supported by EICYAC.

ECPAT provides training services to promote a better understanding of child and youth participation, particularly as it relates to CSEC.. It promotes identification and use of minimum standards for the participation of children in CSEC research, in consultations, and all other areas of public policy which impact on their lives, including in development and implementation of National Plans of Action against CSEC. It also supports development of specific specialised protocols for working with children who have been sexually exploited, develops materials for children on various aspects of commercial sexual exploitation and provides training to develop their skills in peer support, advocacy and media work, especially reaching vulnerable youth and child survivors of CSEC.

An example of an innovative ECPAT CYP project is the Youth Partnership Project for Child Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation in South Asia (YPP), which is working to empower and build the capacity of child survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking to take the lead in the fight against CSEC.  For more information about the project, visit the YPP website