A/68/274 19. Widespread public information, awareness-raising and education campaigns and capacity-building of professionals working with and for children are crucial to making the provisions of the Protocol widely known and facilitating access to relevant information by all those concerned, including children. 20. To support children’s understanding of the Protocols, the Special Representative, in cooperation with partners, is preparing child-friendly versions of these treaties, utilizing simple concepts and information to enable children to make use of their provisions in a safe and effective manner. 21. The Special Representative promotes the swift ratification and implementation of these Protocols at the global, regional and national levels. In November 2012, she joined in the organization of regional meetings on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure: the first was hosted in Ankara by the Government of Turkey, in cooperation with the Council of Europe and UNICEF; and the second was held in Cairo and organized by the League of Arab States. 22. These regional meetings constitute a strategic platform for mobilizing support for ratification and implementation, aligning national legislation with the provisions of the Protocol and providing for child-sensitive procedures for counselling, reporting and complaints, which can be safely used by children without any risk of violence or manipulation. Protecting children from trafficking 23. As noted in paragraph 79 of one part of the study (see A/61/299), trafficking is associated with different forms of violence: abduction or deception by recruiters, sexual violence perpetuated as the victims are transferred to their destination, and being held captive, frequently accompanied by violence, while waiting for “job” placement. Most victims are trafficked into violent situations. 24. With this in mind, the Special Representative pursued close collaboration with United Nations and regional partners, including advocacy for the ratification and implementation of international standards. This process is supported by the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons 9 and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. By July 2013, this Protocol had been ratified by 156 countries, and more than 130 countries had legislation criminalizing trafficking. Yet, the number of convictions remains low. 10 25. Particularly worrisome is the fact that child trafficking has been on the increase: between 2007 and 2010, 27 per cent of detected victims were children. Of every three child victims, two are girls and one is a boy 11 and, in some regions, children’s exposure to this form of violence is particularly high. 12 26. The Special Representative will continue to work with child protection partners for the ratification and strong enforcement of these standards, supporting __________________ 9 10 11 12 6/26 General Assembly resolution 64/293, annex. See United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2012 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.13.IV.1), p. 7, key findings. Ibid. Ibid. In Africa and the Middle East, approximately 68 per cent of victims were children (ibid., p. 10). 13-41970