"The commercial sexual exploitation of children is a fundamental violation of children's rights. It comprises sexual abuse by the adult and remuneration in cash or kind to the child or a third person or persons. The child is treated as a sexual object and as a commercial object. The commercial sexual exploitation of children constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children, and amounts to forced labour and a contemporary form of slavery."

Commercial sexual exploitation of children consists of practices that are demeaning, degrading and many times life-threatening to children.

There are three primary and interrelated forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children: prostitution, pornography, and trafficking for sexual purposes. Other forms of sexual exploitation of children include child sex tourism and early marriages.

Government representatives from 159 countries, together with non governmental organisations, Unicef and other UN agencies have committed themselves to a global partnership against the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The Agenda for Action calls for improved coordination and cooperation, prevention measures, increased protection, rehabilitation efforts and youth participation.

 

Source: ECPAT