Leave no child behind: States must step up efforts to combat sale and sexual exploitation of children says UN expert

NEW YORK (7 October 2022) – States must strive to address the vulnerabilities of children to sale and sexual exploitation within the framework of the 2030 Agenda to usher in a world where no child is left behind, a UN expert told the General Assembly today.

“The economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, protracted conflicts, climate change and disasters have inflated the problem, aggravating the vulnerability of children to sale and sexual exploitation and putting enormous strain on child protection systems,” said Mama Fatima Singhateh, UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and exploitation of children in her report to the General Assembly.

“We are witnessing setbacks to the gains made in achieving the sustainable development targets,” Singhateh said.

The report elaborates on good practices and makes recommendations for mitigating and addressing vulnerabilities of children within the Sustainable Development Goals framework. “The 2030 Agenda is a crucial milestone for addressing the aggravated inequalities and vulnerabilities of the most vulnerable children to sale and sexual exploitation,” the expert said.

Millions of children across the world were at great risk of falling victim of sale and sexual exploitation due to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including on the basis of gender, disability, race, ethnicity or identity, Singhateh’s report said.

These risks were further amplified by the situation of their families, exposure to an unregulated digital environment and the detriments of institutional or alternative care, the expert said.

“Children in poverty or on the move, in street situations, in rural or marginalised communities or affected by conflict or emergencies, indigenous children, children without birth certificates, children engaged in child labour are constantly at heightened risk,” the Special Rapporteur said.

She highlighted the importance of strengthening transnational law enforcement cooperation and consolidating information and communication technologies to mitigate risks to children. The expert urged the development sector to play a role in scaling up States’ technology and law enforcement capacity.

“Tackling the demand and supply nexus and holding those profiting from the exploitation of children accountable are equally important,” Singhateh said.

“As Governments strive to build back better, they must ensure the vulnerability of children is mitigated at national, regional and international levels through legislation, policies, programmes and the allocation of adequate resources,” the expert said.