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The sexual exploitation of children and adolescents is a global reality and is growing visibility. Eliminate this practice and protecting children and adolescents from it is a challenge. Following Stockholm 1996 and Yokohama 2001, Brazil will host the World Congress III against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescent in Rio de Janeiro.

On 17- 18 September, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Preparatory meeting was held in Geneva, to feed recommendations to the upcoming World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescent.

 

The meeting was attended by experts, government officials, activists from around the region and NGOs.

 

Mr Geir Myrstad, head of operations in the ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, reminded that the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention No.182 call on all ILO member States to undertake immediate and effective measures to prohibit commercial sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, pornography and trafficking. Also, under the ILO Global Action Plan on Child Labour, the 182 member states of the ILO have committed themselves to eliminate commercial sexual exploitation of children by 2016.

 

He emphasised the fact that child labour can be a risk for sexual/ commercial exploitation. Some population of children are more vulnerable to such exploitation.

He gave the example of children domestic workers, children leaving in areas of natural disaster, refugee children, migrant children, children living in institution...Also, he noticed that internally trafficking was more and more present ( through internet, advertisement, streets...).

 

All the speakers insisted on the fact that the struggle against sexual and commercial exploitation has to be linked with education, fight against poverty and elimination of exclusion.

Ms. Alsura Altamura, Europe Associate for Ecpat International, talked about boys being more and more affected by sexual and commercial exploitation. The use of ICT has strongly contributed to that. It affects many teenagers. The problem with this phenomenon is that not only public opinion and media blame the children but also children don't see themselves as victims. It becomes difficult to provide help to these children.

"Progress has been made - particularly with the recent development of the Council of Europe Convention on protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation - but the fact is that Europe and Central Asia continue to see large numbers of children exploited, so enforcement of these legal instruments is essential" said Mark Capaldi, Deputy Director of ECPAT International. "The region continues to see large numbers of children sexually exploited and this regional meeting has called for the necessary measures and strategies to urgently address the demand for sex with children".