The NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Focal Point on Sexual
Exploitation, Violence and Abuse has recently published a "Guide for NGOs Reporting
to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on the Implementation of the Optional
Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography". 

This Guide aims at supporting reporting and monitoring processes under the Optional
Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child. Since several mechanisms and benchmarks
already exist in this area, it is essential that the Protocol be used as
strategically and efficiently as possible to complement other global efforts in the
fight against sexual exploitation of children.

It is hoped that the Guide will be useful both for very specialised NGOs and for
human rights organisations with no previous experience in reporting to the Committee
on the Rights of the Child.

Contents are based on some information and tips already available as part of general
manuals on the CRC, namely the Implementation Handbook for the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, published by UNICEF in 1998 and fully revised in 2002, and the
Guide for NGO Reporting to the Committee on the Rights of the Child published and
currently revised by the NGO Group for the Rights of the Child.

In addition, the Guide provides background information on the drafting of the
Protocol, a commentary on some of the first State parties' reports, and information
on the initial reporting processes observed during the 39th and 40th sessions of the
Committee. Annexes contain the full text of the OPSC, as well as the official
guidelines.[Source: CRIN]

For more information, contact:
Bruno Romazzotti
Focal Point on Sexual Exploitation, Violence and Abuse
NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child
1, rue de Varembé, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 740 47 30; Fax: +41 740 11 45
Email: bromazzotti@bluewin.ch
Website: http://www.againstsexualexploitation.org