A/HRC/55/55
I. Introduction
1.
In the present report, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 7/13
and 52/26, the Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of
children, Mama Fatima Singhateh, presents a thematic study on the sexual abuse and
exploitation of children in the entertainment industry. She explores the risks of sexual
exploitation and abuse to which child performers are exposed within the entertainment
industry, identifies the challenges in and pathways for mitigating those risks and presents
recommendations for protecting such children.
2.
The report also includes information on the activities undertaken by the Special
Rapporteur since her previous report.
II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur
A.
Country visits
3.
Upon invitation, the Special Rapporteur conducted two official country visits during
the year: to Uruguay, from 16 to 26 May 2023; 1 and to Australia, from 30 October to
10 November 2023. The report on the visit to Australia will be presented in March 2025.
4.
The Special Rapporteur extends her gratitude to the Governments of Australia and
Uruguay for the cooperation extended before, during and after the visits.
5.
The Special Rapporteur highly appreciates the positive response received from
Botswana regarding her request to conduct an official visit to the country in the first half of
2024.
B.
Communications and press releases
6.
During the period under review, the Special Rapporteur transmitted communications
to Governments jointly with other mandate holders relating to issues that fell within the scope
of her mandate. The Special Rapporteur issued press statements jointly with other mandate
holders in connection with the Sustainable Development Goals Summit, World Tourism Day
and the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
C.
General Assembly and other activities
7.
On 7 September 2023, the Special Rapporteur delivered a keynote address and
participated in the discussion held during a virtual dialogue organized by Foreign Policy, in
partnership with World Vision International and the Oak Foundation, entitled “Safeguarding
childhood: tracking national budgets to end child abuse”. She highlighted the importance of
preventing child sexual abuse and exploitation as critical components of the efforts to achieve
the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 5, 8 and 16.
8.
On 3 October 2023, the Special Rapporteur delivered a lecture at Johns Hopkins
University on her mandate and, specifically, on the risk of exploitation and sexual abuse
children are exposed to through voluntourism. The lecture brought together academicians,
students and researchers in the exchange with the Special Rapporteur.
9.
On 5 October, the Special Rapporteur presented a report2 to the General Assembly
focused on the exploitation and sexual abuse of children in relation to voluntourism. In the
interactive dialogue with States, she shed light on the potentially harmful consequences of
the unregulated sector of voluntourism and outlined good practices for effective intervention.
1
2
2
See A/HRC/55/55/Add.2.
A/78/137.
GE.23-25843