World Congress III puts forth recommendations to combat the sexual exploitation of children

Participating countries gathered in Brazil for World Congress III have developed an international pact aimed at protecting and guaranteeing the rights of children and adolescents worldwide. While recognizing that ending child sexual exploitation is a long and difficult battle, countries are in a better position now to win the fight as a result of a blueprint for action developed at WCIII called the Rio Declaration and Action Plan to Prevent and Stop the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescent (Outcome Document).

At the Congress, participants analysed new challenges and dimensions of the sexual exploitation of children, identified advances and gaps in legal frameworks, and shared experiences on implementing relevant inter-agency policies. Strategies and measurable goals and targets were then developed to lead to action to eliminate sexual exploitation of children.

The activities and discussions at the Congress took place along these five main themes

• Forms of sexual exploitation and its new picture: Trafficking in children for sexual exploitation, sexual exploitation of children in prostitution and tourism, pedophilia and pornography, Internet crimes and new technologies;

• Legal framework and liability: Revision of the law on sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, implementation of the Optional Protocol, impunity and responsibility, procedures for special investigation;

• Integrated inter-agency policies: Building inter-sectoral public policies, cooperation between different government levels, integration with the justice system, role of the training agencies;

• Initiatives of social responsibility: the market and self-regulation of the private sector, the role of global financial systems and new initiatives in promoting rights, good business practices, private initiative and public policies; and

• Strategies for international cooperation: Multilateral and regional mechanisms for fighting the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, cross-border crimes and systems of information, experience of international agencies and organisations, monitoring and evaluating progress in relation to previous World Congresses.

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ECPAT is currently working with other Congress partners to finalize the Outcome Document. The final version of the Outcome Document is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2009. Some of the main recommendations resulting from the WCIII thus far include:

• Governments to provide country-specific information of their National Action Plans to the CRC (Committee to the Rights of the Child). A progress report will go to the UN General Assembly at next year’s Session.

• Establish independent children’s rights institutions, such as an ombudsman, focal point, or commissions for children’s rights at the national level, in the next 5 years.

• The development of reliable national databases of SEC-related (sexual exploitation of children). information by 2009. By 2013 establish regional mechanisms to exchange SEC-related information.

• By 2013, set up a national system for reporting and follow-up of incidences of SEC. This will capture both mandatory reporting by statutory bodies, information from helplines, children and young people’s care institutions and justice systems. This will provide a channel of direct reporting for all children.

• Calling on abolition of double criminality (where perpetrators cannot be tried unless there are relevant laws in both their home country and the country where the crime was committed) in cases of SEC.

• Countries to commit to working more closely with Interpol on child abuse imagery database and establish a special children’s desk for crimes against children.

• Developing policies to stimulate and support the corporate sector, especially those in tourism/travel, financial institutions, internet-related, and advertising/entertainment to adopt codes of conduct.

• Strengthen and harmonise the various types of child protection services.

• Call on international cooperation bodies (intl development agencies) such as major financial institutions, including those that direct policy on financial allocation, to assess their policies that impact children to ensure that their allocations support the implementation of their agreements.

• To introduce laws that criminalize the purchase (or any form of remuneration) for sex with a child.

For a draft version of the Outcome Document, click here.