The Second World Congress on Commercial Sexual Exploitation
of Children, hosted by the Japanese Government in association
with the Prefecture of Yokohama, took place in Yokohama, 17
to 20 December, 2001. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan,
ECPAT International, UNICEF and the NGO Group for the Convention
on the Rights of the Child were the organising partners, echoing
the partnership format of the First World Congress.
Speakers at the opening ceremony were H.E. Ms Makiko Tanaka,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Japan; H.I.H. Princess Takamodo
of Japan; Queen Silvia of Sweden; and the Mayor of the host
city. Keynote speeches at the opening session were delivered
by: H.E. Ms Mayumi Moriyama, Minister of Justice, Japan; Carol
Bellamy, Executive Director, Unicef; Jo de Linde, Chairperson,
ECPAT International; Ms Cherry Kingsley, NGO Group on the
Convention of the Rights of the Child; and three youth participants.
The objectives of the Second World Congress were to: enhance
political commitment to the implementation of the Agenda for
Action adopted at the First World Congress; review progress
in the implementation of this Agenda; share expertise and
good practices; identify main problem areas and/or gaps in
the fight against commercial sexual exploitation of children;
strengthen the follow-up process of the World Congress.
One of the main outcomes of the Congress is the re-commitment
to the Stockholm Agenda for Action in the Yokohama Global
Commitment 2001. By virtue of this re-commitment, coupled
with the attendance of representatives of 35 states who did
not participate in the first Congress, the number of states
committed under the Agenda for Action now totals 159.
Through the Yokohama Congress, the follow-up to the first
World Congress has been strengthened, particularly with regard
to the monitoring processes. Interest was expressed by governmental
bodies to take part in this process on a regional level in
East Asia/Pacific as well as in Europe. UN ESCAP, UNICEF and
ECPAT have started working together to monitor the implementation
of the Stockholm Agenda for Action in East Asia and the Pacific
region.
Documentation prepared prior to the Congress included a series
of twelve briefing notes and six theme papers.
In addition, a number of regional consultations took place
in the months leading up to the Congress. This consultative
process enabled governments, non governmental organisations
and inter-governmental agencies to prepare for the Yokohama
meeting. Each regional consultation produced a document outlining
a common position that would guide future direction in their
effort to eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of
children. All were submitted to the Chair at the Congress
and are annexed to the final outcomes document of the Congress.
This document, Yokohama Global Commitment 2001 was negotiated
between governments during the week and adopted in consensus.
A number of delegations chose to add explanatory statements
to it, and while these additions develop certain viewpoints
of countries and regions, they are all endorsing the Yokohama
Commitment.
Panel discussions that took place at the Congress were: Lessons
Learned; Challenges and Gaps; and Ways Forward. A number of
workshops were held throughout the Congress, reports are available
for the workshops organised by ECPAT International.
The Report on the Yokohama Congress was written by the General
Rapporteur, Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn of Thailand, and an
oral summary was delivered in the plenary session on the final
day of the Congress. A final appeal by the youth participants
was also delivered at the closing session.
Read the January 2002 Special Issue of the ECPAT Newsletter:
Report on the Second World Congress (pdf)
Note: Change links from ECPAT Projects - Monitoring the
Stockholm Agenda for Action page
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