World Congress III Against The Sexual Exploitation Of Children & Adolescents To Take Place In Rio De Janeiro In November

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Conferences
Article Date: 22 Sep 2008 - 16:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

What

The World Congress III will mobilize heads of State, government officials, experts and thousands of activists to move forward the global agenda to stop the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. The previous two Congresses took place in Stockholm (1996) and Yokohama (2001).

Where

Riocentro Exhibition and Convention Centre, located in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

When

25-28 November 2008.

Who

Conveners of the Congress are the Government of Brazil, UNICEF, ECPAT, and the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Among the more than 3,000 participants, over 150 countries are expected to send high level delegations, including Heads of State. Several hundred young people will also have an active role.

Why

More than a decade after Stockholm, many studies - including the recent 'UN Study on Violence Against Children' - indicate that the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents is increasing. There is also growing evidence of criminal activity related to the trafficking of children for sexual purposes, exploitation by tourists and travelers, the proliferation of child abuse imagery and internet-related crimes. The sexual exploitation of children is fueled by international demand, which threatens children and adolescents of all ages, in every corner of the world.

Previous World Congresses

The First World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996, resulting in the 'Stockholm Declaration and Agenda for Action', which was adopted by 122 countries. This committed countries to develop strategies and plans of action with agreed-upon guidelines. In December 2001, the Second World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Children was held in Yokohama, Japan, resulting in the 'Yokohama Global Commitment 2001'. The Congress consolidated global partnerships and reinforced the global commitment to protect children from sexual exploitation. A total of 161 countries have now signed the 'Stockholm Declaration and Agenda for Action'.

World Congress Website

UNICEF