UN: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

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Ms Najat M'jid Maala, the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, presented her first report to the 9th session of the Human Rights Council.

She highlighted the methodology that will guide her work, explaining that it builds on the analysis of her predecessors, the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the UN Study on Violence against Children and her dialogues with non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, treaty bodies, and other special procedures mandate holders.

Ms Maala emphasised the importance of the participation of child victims in carrying out her mandate. She declared that in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Resolution 2001/51 of the Commission of Human Rights, she would integrate a gender and HIV and AIDS dimension into her work.

Ms Maala insisted on the importance of integrating a transnational, international and national dimension in her mandate. She also highlighted the need to consider socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors that may contribute to the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Ms Maala then presented the three thematic studies she will undertake, namely child pornography, the sale of children’s organs, and the sale of children for the purpose of adoption.

Ms Maala urged the signature and ratification by all states of the Optional Protocol to the CRC, which concerns the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. She called for the non-criminalisation of child victims in national laws. She also stated that the follow-up of recommendations made by herself, her predecessors, reports by the UPR, final observations by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UN Study on Violence against Children, was a priority.

Due to the limited time available, only few States took part in the interactive dialogue. Chile, on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), reaffirmed its commitment to the CRC and recommended that cultural factors be examined closely in relation to the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. A number of States emphasised their domestic efforts at preventing the sale of children. Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC) asked for the Special Rapporteur’s views on areas of bilateral and multilateral cooperation to prevent sex tourism and child pornography.

[Source: International Service for Human Rights]

Further information

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/G0814841.pdf

Organisation: 
Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
Attachment Link: 
http://www.crin.org/docs/G0814841.pdf

Countries

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