A/RES/77/233
Strengthening national and international efforts, including with
the private sector, to protect children from sexual exploitation
and abuse
Noting with concern the linkages in some cases between child sexual
exploitation and abuse and trafficking in children for commercial sexual exploitation
and trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation,
Noting that no country alone can prevent and combat child sexual exploitation
and abuse, given its transnational nature, and that children will not be safe from this
horrific abuse until robust and consistent standards and legislation are adopted and
implemented globally,
Noting also that the term “child pornography” is being increasingly referred to,
within some Member States, as child sexual exploitation or child sexual abuse
materials to better reflect the nature of such materials and the seriousness of the harm
suffered by the child in this context,
Recognizing the importance of standardized terminology to promote common
understanding and provide the legal precision needed to support effective national
legal frameworks and to strengthen international cooperation in this regard,
Recalling paragraph 67 of the Kyoto Declaration, in which Member States
recognized the fundamental role of effective international cooperation in preventing
and combating crime and to that end underlined the importance of addressing,
tackling and effectively responding to international challenges and barriers, in
particular measures, that hinder such cooperation and which are not consistent with
the Charter of the United Nations and obligations under international law and in that
regard urged States, consistent with their international obligations, to refrain from
applying such measures,
Recognizing that gaps in access to and use of information and communications
technologies by States can diminish the effectiveness of international cooperation in
combating the creation, dissemination and consumption of child sexual exploitation
and abuse materials,
Recognizing also that child sexual exploitation and abuse are often transnational
in nature, as a single instance of abuse online can span multiple jurisdictions, with
the victim, offender and Internet service and access providers all potentially based in
different countries and child sexual abuse materials stored and disseminated in
different jurisdictions,
Stressing the importance of remaining responsive to the evolving and growing
nature of child sexual exploitation and abuse globally, as increasing Internet access
and new and evolving information and communications technologies, including
encryption capability and anonymizing tools, are used by offenders in order to commit
crimes involving child sexual exploitation and abuse, and to the increasing burden on
the capacities and capabilities of law enforcement agencies, victim support services
and other agencies,
Noting the growing efforts by Member States, including through national or
domestic legislation and strategies, and through relevant multilateral agreements as
well as other relevant formats, to prevent and combat the online sexual exploitation
and abuse of children,
Recognizing that Internet service and access providers should proactively design
products and services to prevent and combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, and
noting that systems should not place the primary responsibility for reporting
exploitation and abuse on persons who have experienced child sexual abuse and
exploitation,
Emphasizing the particular need and challenge for Member States to promote
clear and coherent expectations, standards and regulations, within their domestic legal
4/7
22-28999