UN, Governments and civil society review progress and set a course to accelerate the implementation of the
Rio Call for Action against sexual exploitation of children

Summary

Almost two years after the World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it was timely to review progress on action taken to improve child protection from sexual exploitation.

On 25 and 26 October 2010, UN experts, State and civil society representatives including NGOs, youth representatives, law enforcement, private sector and academia participated in a meeting in Bangkok to review progress in the implementation of the Rio Declaration and Call for Action.

Highlights on Areas of Progress

Some areas where participants concurred on positive developments since 2008 included greater awareness of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and its recognition by the international community following the World Congress III; the enactment of new national legislation across countries, international instruments and new UN special procedures with mandates dedicated to protecting children from human rights violations; increased youth participation in various fora including in decision-making and intensification of peer-to-peer sensitization; the growing endorsement of responsibility by players such as Internet Service Providers, the tourism and travel industry and social and other media; and an increase in law enforcement collaboration across borders.

UNICEF noted progress on many fronts after World Congress III, namely the existence of three UN Special Representatives of the Secretary-General for children. UNICEF also highlighted the launch of a two-year campaign for the universal ratification of the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (OPSC) by 2012, and the Optional Protocol on Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC). ECPAT International focused on the time-bound targets identified in the Rio Call for Action, namely to establish 1) accessible systems of reporting; 2) coordination mechanisms across sectors and within them; and 3) establish independent children’s rights institutions such as Ombudspersons. ECPAT International also noted the increase in help lines and Internet hotlines across several countries. The ECPAT network in Brazil, one of the largest worldwide with representation from various states throughout the country, has elaborated a new set of Principles and Plan of Work, which is aligned to support the Rio Call. Included in its Plan of Work are initiatives to promote the Code of Conduct with the tourism industry; work with institutions working with children to establish guidelines of operation that address child rights to protection through institutional norms, protocols and policies; and mobilization for prevention of sexual exploitation of children in the Football World Cup of 2014. The ECPAT Youth Representative highlighted the need for Governments, the UN, NGOs and the private sector to create channels for involvement of young people in discussions on issues affecting them. She underscored that promoting youth participation without providing the channels and means for meaningful participation was ineffective. Mobilization activities focused on child sex tourism are also being run through the youth partnership programme by Ukraine's youth advocates in anticipation of the UEFA Euro 2012 Football Cup.

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (UNSRSG) on Violence against Children emphasized that work must continue to translate the Rio commitments into realities for children. She highlighted her agenda as UNSRSG is to mobilize global action to prevent all forms of violence against children.

Child Rights Expert and former Chair of the CRC Jaap Doek proposed that there is a need for NGOs, UNICEF and others to raise awareness on the new optional protocol to the CRC to establish a complaints mechanism for children. He stressed that adoption of the Optional Protocol to the CRC on Communication Procedures will provide a mechanism to file complaints against a State party for children’s rights violations.

Steps for Accelerating Progress

In a closed meeting, World Congress III partners identified the following course for follow-up and progress:

1. Integrate and monitor action on the provisions outlined in the Rio Call for Action within relevant child rights initiatives to ensure they are mutually reinforcing
2. Follow up with the Committee on the Rights of the Child to request that reference and examination of progress on actions of the Rio Call is integrated in reviews and recommendations 
3. Support the campaign for universal ratification of the optional protocols to the CRC and follow up with States to acknowledge and support their ratification 
4. Prepare a reporting template to share with States for reporting on progress of work against sexual exploitation. States would provide information by May of 2011 (every two years) as stipulated in the Rio Call 
5. Integrate the information from Rio for the SRSG report in 2012 
6. Support Anniversary review of ILO 182 and contribute with technical and other inputs 
7. ECPAT will lead mid-term review processes in all regions throughout 2013 
8. Support the review of the Millennium Goals and contribute to integrate child protection 
9. 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the Congress and could be the date for a global review process. 

To read more about this meeting, please visit ECPAT International-WC III follow up.