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The number of governments represented (134) was greater than that for the First World Congress, (122) and the number of participants (over 3,000) was almost double that for Stockholm. About 100 young people took part in the Congress. Despite the inevitable fatigue, the Yokohama Congress was considered a success by young people. They all said they had been enriched by the mix of cultures and identities they’d encountered.
The aims of the Congress were to take stock of what had been accomplished since the Stockholm Congress in 1996, to share expertise and good practices, to identify main areas and problems still to be tackled as well as gaps and challenges, and to strengthen the follow-up process to the Stockholm Congress.
“Even if he is not the actual exploiter, every adult is guilty of being an accomplice if he looks the other way and allows the sexual exploitation of children to take place .... If there were no demand, it would not be commercially viable to have a supply. This is a simple fact. If there is anyone around you that is helping to create a demand, then take courage and speak out.”
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado, Welcome speech at the Second World Congress) |
The SWC was designed as a “working” Congress. Three panel discussions on the themes Lessons Learned, Challenges and Gaps and Ways Forward were integrated into the plenary sessions. Government delegates reported on national strategies, action plans and legislative developments. Over 100 workshops were conducted and ECPAT organised ten with themes as diverse as campaigning, extraterritorial legislation, Internet safety and young leaders.
Six theme papers were commissioned as background reading; ECPAT being responsible for “Child Pornography and the Internet” and “The Role and Involvement of the Private Sector”. Themes covered in the other papers were the profile of the child sex offender; prevention, protection and recovery; trafficking; the international legal framework and current national legal response.
Prior to the Congress, six regional meetings were held to assess achievements and failures since Stockholm and to identify regional needs and priorities. Documents from each of the regional consultations outlining a common position to guide future efforts in eliminating CSEC were annexed to the main outcome document from the Yokohama Congress, the Yokohama Global Commitment. The final text of this document was adopted by consensus applause on 20 December 2001.
“I feel overwhelmed that young people have been given the chance [to make themselves heard]. They are speaking from the bottom of their hearts.”
Vera Ocampo, young peoples’ representative from the Philippines |
The final appeal of children and young people was adopted during an impressive performance of drama, music and poetry. In it, young people called for, among other things, education, developing life skills, raising awareness and advocacy about the Committee on the Rights of the Child and CSEC for all sexes and age groups, the need to address gender issues related to CSEC, to fight corruption as one of the factors contributing to growth of CSEC, to punish offenders and not children who are the victims of CSEC.
Young people committed themselves to building a network of children and young people across the world, and called on governments to initiate a CSEC Fund for Youth that would make financial means available for young people to carry out activities to combat CSEC worldwide.
The Congress provided yet another turning point for ECPAT. It focused international attention on CSEC, and provided the ECPAT network with a chance to demonstrate its capacities and increase the expertise of its members. The new partnerships formed there will help develop models and skills for future action.