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Global Progress Towards Ending the Sexual Exploitation of Children

A global problem requires truly global solutions to address the sexual exploitation of children.

Afghanistan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Albania
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Algeria
Background Check Required No Data
Andorra
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Angola
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Antigua and Barbuda
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Argentina
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Armenia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Austria
Background Check Required No Data
Azerbaijan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Bahamas
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Bahrain
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Bangladesh
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Barbados
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Belarus
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Belgium
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Benin
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Bhutan
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children. However, persons convicted of any offence against children are prohibited from holding the post of a Child Welfare Officer.
Bolivia, Plurinational State of
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Botswana
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Brazil
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Bulgaria
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Burkina Faso
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Burundi
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Cambodia
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Cameroon
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Canada
Background Check Required Partial
A vulnerable sector check is a police information check plus a check to see if a person has a record suspension (pardon) for sexual offences. Vulnerable sector checks were created in 2000 to protect children and vulnerable persons and is governed by section 6.3(3) of the Criminal Records Act. To meet the legal requirements for a vulnerable sector check, the nature of the position – not the person – must cause the person to have authority over, or trust of, children or vulnerable persons. The check is not mandatory, but made at the request of any person or organization responsible for the well-being of a child and to which an application is made for a paid or volunteer position.
Cape Verde
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Central African Republic
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Chad
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Chile
Background Check Required Partial
The national legislation establishes a mandatory background check requirement for every person hired for a job, position or profession in the private or public sector that involves direct and usual relationship with minors. It is unclear whether is rule also applies to volunteers. This law also prohibits convicted sex offenders to hold positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating contact with children.
China
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Colombia
Background Check Required Yes
The national legislation establishes a mandatory background check requirement for every person hired for a job, position or profession in the private or public sector that involves direct and usual relationship with minors. This rule also applies for volunteers. The background check is also required for people working in the restaurant and tourism sector in customer-facing positions. This law also prohibits convicted sex offenders to hold positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating contact with children.
Comoros
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Congo, Republic of the
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Costa Rica
Background Check Required Partial
The national legislation includes a non-mandatory provision for criminal background check. There are no legal provisions prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Côte d’Ivoire
Background Check Required Partial
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks. However the legislation includes provisions that prohibit convicted sex offenders to work in education, childcare and the public sector as well as the possibility of punishments for sex offenders that include the suspension of licences or authorisations for activities related to the offence committed.
Croatia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Cuba
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Cyprus
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Czech Republic
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Denmark
Background Check Required No Data
Djibouti
Background Check Required No Data
Dominica
Background Check Required No Data
Dominican Republic
Background Check Required No Data
Ecuador
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children. The national legislation prohibits requesting background checks to any job applicant in the public and private sector.
Egypt
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
El Salvador
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks.
However, convicted sex offenders are prohibited from holding positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating contact with children.
The sex offender registry is accessible to any interested organization or individual.
Equatorial Guinea
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Eritrea
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Estonia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Ethiopia
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks. However, the national legislation establishes the possibility of depriving convicted persons of their right to exercise a profession when the nature of the crime and the circumstances under which the crime was committed justify such an order.
Fiji
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Finland
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
France
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Gabon
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Gambia
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Georgia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Germany
Background Check Required Partial
There are mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks for nationals and non-nationals, who start working in public youth welfare § 72a Abs. 1 S. 1 SGB VIII. A legal background check mut be undertaken also during the employment after 3-5 years.There is an obligation to guarantee that also independent youth welfare should ensure that persons who are convicted sex offenders are not allowed to work in their institution. This includes volunteers. But here is no legal provision to short-term offers of care and accommodation and commercial offers (such as child- and youth travel, animation programmes in hotels or childcare in fitness studios of warehouses).
Ghana
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Greece
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Grenada
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Guatemala
Background Check Required Yes
There is a mandatory provision for criminal background check for people to work with minors, in permanent or personal activities.
Guinea
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Guinea-Bissau
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Guyana
Background Check Required Partial
There is a mandatory legal provision for organizations offering employment in child care to verify if the individual has been convicted for an offence against a child and therefore has been declared unsuited to work with children. It is unclear whether this provision also applies to other sectors which involve contact with children beyond childcare and whether it applies to volunteers as well as workers.
Haiti
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Honduras
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Hungary
Background Check Required Partial
Labour Law (Act No. I of 2012) requires a certificate of No Criminal Record (it is a so called ‘Moral Certificate’) for certain jobs but there is no such general regulation for jobs related to children. In most of the cases, it is up to the employers whether they need such certificate.
Iceland
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
India
Background Check Required Partial
There is a mandatory legal requirement for institutions housing children or whose staff is in regular contact with children, to do periodic background checks on every staff, teaching or non-teaching, regular or contractual or any other person being an employee of such institution coming in contact with the child. However, there is no law or legal provision that prohibits convicted sexual offenders from holding positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Indonesia
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks.
Indonesian law does not explicitly prohibit convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children but contains a generic provision that allows the deprivation of the right to be a legal manager or a counsellor and to be a guardian, co-guardian, curator or curator over other children as well as his or her own
Iran
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Iraq
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Ireland
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Israel
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Italy
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Jamaica
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Japan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Jordan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Kazakhstan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Kenya
Background Check Required Partial
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks. However failing to disclose a sexual offence conviction when applying for employment involving contact with children amounts to an offence punished with at least three years of imprisonment, a fine of not less than fifty thousand shillings or to both. Court might also declare convicted sex offenders unable to seek employment of a specified nature.
Kiribati
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Kosovo
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Kuwait
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Kyrgyzstan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Laos
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Latvia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Lebanon
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Lesotho
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Liberia
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Libya
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Liechtenstein
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Lithuania
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Luxembourg
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Madagascar
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Malawi
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children. However, persons convicted for the offence of trafficking of children are prohibited from working with children for seven years.
Malaysia
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children. However, the sex offenders’ registry allows people to verify if an individual has committed any sexual offense against children by filling in a form and stating their relationship to the individual at the department’s state office, or the department district office.
Maldives
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Mali
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Malta
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Marshall Islands
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Mauritania
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Mauritius
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Mexico
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Micronesia, Federated States of
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Moldova
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Moldova, Republic of
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Monaco
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Mongolia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Montenegro
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Morocco
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Mozambique
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Myanmar
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Namibia
Background Check Required Partial
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks. However the persons included in the sex offender registry may be barred from holding certain positions involving or facilitating contact with children. Such persons may not be allowed to act as alternative caregivers, foster parents or provide child welfare and protection services, or run or manage or assist in institutions for children.
Nauru
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Nepal
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks. Convicted sex offenders are prohibited from holding positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating contact with children.
Netherlands
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
New Zealand
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Nicaragua
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Niger
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Nigeria
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
North Korea
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
North Macedonia, Republic of
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Norway
Background Check Required Yes
The national legislation includes provisions which mandate that the criminal background is checked for every national or non-national applying for work with or for children or who is currently working with or for children, including staff, consultants and volunteers. The national legislation may also prohibit convicted sex offenders to hold positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating direct contact with children.
Oman
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Pakistan
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Palau
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Palestine, State of
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Panama
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Papua New Guinea
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Paraguay
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Peru
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Philippines
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Poland
Background Check Required No Data
Portugal
Background Check Required No Data
Qatar
Background Check Required No Data
Romania
Background Check Required No Data
Russian Federation
Background Check Required No Data
Rwanda
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Saint Lucia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Samoa
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
San Marino
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Sao Tome and Principe
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Saudi Arabia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Senegal
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Serbia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Seychelles
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Sierra Leone
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Singapore
Background Check Required Partial
There is a mandatory provision for criminal background checks for every national and non-national applying for work with children. It is unclear whether this requirement applies to volunteers.
Slovakia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Slovenia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Solomon Islands
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Somalia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
South Africa
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
South Korea
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
South Sudan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Spain
Background Check Required Yes
There is a mandatory provision for criminal background checks for any person applying for work with children. This requirement specifically applies to volunteers. Moreover, the legislation prohibits businesses and employers to employ convicted offenders of sexual crimes and trafficking for jobs in close contact with children.
Sri Lanka
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Sudan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Suriname
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Swaziland
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Sweden
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Switzerland
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Syria
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Taiwan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Tajikistan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Tanzania, United Republic of
Background Check Required No
There are no provisions on mandatory background checks.
However, legislation of both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar stipulate that convicted sex offenders are prohibited from holding some positions involving or facilitating contact with children.
Thailand
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children. However, a mandatory criminal background check was introduced in 2015 for foreign teachers.
Timor-Leste
Background Check Required No Data
Tonga
Background Check Required No Data
Trinidad and Tobago
Background Check Required No Data
Tunisia
Background Check Required No Data
Turkey
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Turkmenistan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Tuvalu
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Uganda
Background Check Required No
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks nor legislation prohibiting convicted sex offenders to hold positions involving or facilitating contact with children
Ukraine
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
United Arab Emirates
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
United Kingdom
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
United States
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Uruguay
Background Check Required Partial
There is a mandatory legal requirement for criminal background checks of anybody working with children in the private and public sector. It is unclear whether this provision also applies to volunteers.
Uzbekistan
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Vanuatu
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Vatican City
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Venezuela
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Viet Nam
Background Check Required Partial
There are no mandatory legal provisions for criminal background checks. Convicted sex offenders are prohibited from holding positions involving or facilitating contact with children. Moreover, persons who face any criminal prosecution or administrative penalties for acts of child abuse are prohibited from providing child protective services.
Yemen
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Zambia
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Zimbabwe
Background Check Required Not Yet Assessed
Yes
Partial
No
No Data
Not yet Assessed

Since our inception in the 1990s, the global ECPAT network has played a fundamental role in monitoring the actions taken by countries around the world towards ending the sexual exploitation of children.

We commend progress where we see it, and prioritise our advocacy and lobbying where we see inertia. The ECPAT Global Progress Indicators are carefully defined, measurable aspects of any national response towards protecting children.

They provide practical guidance for prevention and responses of the sexual exploitation of children.

A detailed rationale for each indicator as well as a brief description of how assessment was made for each country can be found below. We encourage you to reach out and contact us should movement have been seen in your country so we can update assessments and highlight country progress.

Age of Consent Law is Appropriate

The age of sexual consent for both males and females is 18 and a close in age exemption (up to 3 years) is provided for consensual sexual relationships between adolescents.

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The age of sexual consent is the legally defined age at which a person is considered mature enough to agree to sexual activity. The age of sexual consent varies across jurisdictions around the world and there is no international legal instrument establishing it, however various forms of advocacy have encouraged States to establish a minimum age under which engaging in sexual contact is considered a criminal offence. This is intended to prevent sexual contact with children and to prevent argument that the child consented as a defence.

Often national provisions related to the age of sexual consent include an exception, known as a close-in-age exemption, making consensual sexual activities between young people lawful if the partners are of similar ages and the age difference is not higher than a certain number of years.

To ensure that cases of child sexual exploitation do not go unpunished, ECPAT advocates for the age of sexual consent to be set at 18 for both males and females with a close-in-age exemption of 2-3 years provided in order to ensure young people are not penalised for consensual sexual acts with peers. The age from which the exemption applies should be established by States but may begin for young people somewhere between 12 and 16 years of age.

Yes The national legislation explicitly indicates that the age of sexual consent unequivocally is 18 for both males and females, with a close-in-age exemption for sexual acts between peers (of up to 3 years) is provided by law.

Partially The national legislation explicitly indicates that the age of sexual consent unequivocally is 18 for both males and females but a close-in-age exemption is not provided for; OR
The national legislation establishes an age of sexual consent, but it is below 18 (but equal to/above 16) for both males and females. A close-in-age exemption may or may not have been provided for.

No The national legislation only establishes age of sexual consent for e.g. females. The age of sexual consent is set at an age below 16.

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Extraterritoriality and Extradition Provisions Allow for Effective Prosecution of Sexual Exploitation of Children

The country has appropriate extraterritoriality and extradition provisions for sexual exploitation of children crimes.

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Extraterritorial jurisdiction refers to a State’s ability to exercise authority beyond its territorial limits. Extradition provisions allow for an offender to be returned by the State where the offender is found to the country where an offence was committed to face prosecution and/or punishment.

Effective extraterritorial legislation and extradition mechanisms are particularly important considering sexual exploitation of children sometimes includes transnational offending. For examples cases occur in the context of travel and tourism where the offenders’ country of origin differs from the victims’ country of origin. Offences may even occur in a third country that neither offender nor victim are from. Child sex offenders in the context of travel and tourism tend to choose destinations known for their lenient laws. Strong legal frameworks that include extraterritoriality and extradition mechanisms can deter offending, as well as reduce impunity for offenders by facilitating swift law enforcement and legal processes that bring them to justice for their crimes.

Many countries have a system in place to prosecute sexual offences involving children committed abroad by a citizen or against a national victim however, this is not always the case. In addition, exercising extraterritoriality jurisdiction and extradition procedures are often hampered by legal obstacles. Specifically, in many countries double criminality[1] is required to prosecute sexual offences against children occurring abroad or to grant the request of extradition. The need for consistent legal frameworks for sexual exploitation of children is therefore crucial.

[1] According to the double criminality requirement, the offence must be prohibited both in the perpetrator’s country of origin and in the country where the offence was committed. Double criminality is often required for certain sexual offences against children. This means that extradition can only take place if the offence for which the person is sought by the requesting State is also punishable under the law of the requested State. It is recommended that countries adopt legislation that enables them to establish and exercise extraterritorial jurisdiction without the criterion of double criminality.

Yes The national legislation explicitly provides for both active [1] and passive [2] extraterritoriality for all offences of sexual exploitation of children covered by the legislation of the concerned State. Extradition is possible for SEC offences. The principle of double criminality does not apply to SEC offences for both extraterritoriality and extradition provisions.

[1] jurisdiction over offences committed by a State’s nationals, even with respect to events occurring entirely abroad
[2] jurisdiction over offences committed against a State’s nationals by whomsoever committed, even with respect to events occurring entirely abroad

Partially The applicability of (passive and active) extraterritoriality and extradition provisions are limited in their scope. For example, extraterritoriality is applicable only for certain of the offences related to sexual exploitation of children or does not cover perpetrators having their habitual residence); or the provisions are applicable but depending on certain conditions (e.g. passive jurisdiction but the offender must be found on the State’s territory).
The principle of double criminality does not apply to either or both extraterritoriality and extradition provisions.

No The principle of double criminality applies to either extraterritoriality and extradition provisions for SEC offences.
Extraterritoriality provisions – both in terms of active or passive jurisdiction – do not apply to any offences related to sexual exploitation of children. Extradition is not permitted for offences related to sexual exploitation of children.

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Legal Definitions of ‘Child Sexual Abuse Material’ are Appropriate

The definition of child sexual abuse material is in line with international standards.

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The term ‘child sexual abuse material’ (CSAM) is increasingly being used to replace the older term ‘child pornography’ used in the main legal instruments. The older term is misleading and undermines the gravity of these crimes. Its use suggests that images of child sexual abuse are just another form of pornography, and distracts from the fact that they are actually images of a serious crime. To be fully comprehensive, the definition of child sexual abuse material should:

  • Be directly in line with the guidance provided by Article 2(C) of the OPSC;
  • Cover any type of material (i.e. visual –images, videos, drawings – and audio material);
  • Also cover material depicting a person appearing to be a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct (Budapest Convention, Article 9(2));
  • Cover computer/digitally generated child sexual abuse material including realistic images of non-existent children (Budapest Convention, Article 9(2)).

Yes The national legislation includes a definition of child sexual abuse materials which meets all the criteria listed above.

Partially The national legislation defines child sexual abuse materials in line with Article 2 (c) of the OPSC but the three additional criteria listed above are not met. The principle of double criminality does not apply to either or both extraterritoriality and extradition provisions.

No The national legislation is not in line with Article 2 (c) of the OPSC. For example, no definition is provided and/or legislation only refers to generic material of “obscene nature/immoral”.

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Strict Implementation of Criminal Background Checks

Criminal background checks are strict requirements for national and non-nationals working in direct contact with children.

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Criminal background checks are an important tool to prevent convicted child sex offenders from working in close contact with children. The criminal background checks should be required by law for every national and non-national individual working in positions that involve or facilitate direct contact with children as a requirement of their job, in both public and private settings.

Furthermore, it is encouraged that legislation specifically prohibits individuals convicted of sexual offences (especially those involving children) from holding paid or voluntary positions that involve or facilitate direct contact with children.

Yes The national legislation includes provisions which mandate that the criminal background is checked for every national or non-national applying for work with or for children or who is currently working with or for children, including staff, consultants and volunteers. The national legislation may also prohibit convicted sex offenders to hold positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating direct contact with children.

Partially The national subsidiary legislation includes non-mandatory provisions for the criminal background checks, or they are limited in scope for example only for nationals or non-nationals; or only for staff (not including consultants of volunteers) or only in public or private settings. The national legislation may also prohibit convicted sex offenders to hold positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating direct contact with children.

No The national – primary or subsidiary – legislation/policies do not include provisions which mandate nor include non-mandatory provisions for criminal background checks. Convicted sex offenders are not prohibited to hold positions involving or facilitating direct contract with children.

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International and Regional Commitments Related to Sexual Exploitation of Children

National commitments made to regional and international conventions relevant to addressing sexual exploitation of children.

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In regards to ensuring States have legal and policy frameworks that fully and comprehensively address the range of relevant aspects of SEC, the following international and regional legal instruments shall be ratified and implemented as they constitute comprehensive legal tools for protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation:

  • Convention on the Rights of the Child;
  • Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography;
  • Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure;
  • Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime;
  • International Labour Organizations’ s Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour No.182;
  • United Nations World Tourism Organization’s Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics.

While the following two conventions are regional commitments for member States of the Council of Europe, the guidance they provide is highly relevant to SEC and thus we include assessments of all countries against them for this indicator. While it may not be required for States outside this region to comply with these conventions, they are a useful measure of national legal frameworks related to SEC and they are open for accession by States which are not members of the Council of Europe.

  • Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention);
  • Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).

For member states of the African Union, reference should also be made to the ratification of:

  • African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;
  • African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection.

Yes The country has ratified all legal instruments listed above (including the two Council of Europe’s conventions and the African Union’s conventions for Member States of the African Union).

Partially The country has ratified the CRC, the OPSC, the Trafficking Protocol and the ILO Convention No. 182.

No The country has not ratified one or more instruments among the CRC, the OPSC, the Trafficking Protocol and the ILO Convention.

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Operational Child Advocacy Centres

At least one Child Advocacy Centre has been established and is functioning in the country.

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A Child Advocacy Center primarily aims to reduce the re-traumatisation of children by limiting how many times they have to speak about their traumatic experience by coordinating the professionals who may need to have contact with the child – rather than the child having to go through multiple processes, and all using consistent approaches that meet evidentiary requirements. Following this approach has proven to deliver more consistent and accurate statements and information from children that are useful in the criminal justice process. A key element of the model is to coordinate parallel judicial proceedings and child welfare investigations while ensuring support for the victim lasting throughout the process.

Furthermore, it aims to stop the cycle of poverty and re-trafficking by offering education and vocational training in addition to counselling and mental health services to address the full spectrum of needs for trafficked and exploited children. The further strength of the CAC model is that it can also enable partnership with foreign and local law enforcement, governmental agencies and local entities and individuals involved in the protection of child victims, such as NGOs and frontline service providers. The model also employs a multidisciplinary team approach, which helps to ensure that best practice and specialised care is provided by all involved with the child. The cooperation fostered between the local multidisciplinary teams and law enforcement officials who are based in the centres also creates trust and collaboration

Yes At least one Child Advocacy Centre exists and functions in the country.

Partially The establishment of a Child Advocacy Centre is underway; OR
Existing Child Advocacy Centres are not currently functioning.

No There is no Child Advocacy Centre in the country.

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National Police Units that Include Sexual Exploitation of Children in Their Mandate Exist and Function Effectively

Existence of dedicated national police units that include sexual exploitation of children crimes in their mandate within both national and extraterritorial jurisdictions.

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Additional to strong legal framework, policing of these laws is also needed. States must establish and fund dedicated police units that specifically include in their mandate to investigate crimes of child sexual exploitation occurring within both national and extra-territorial jurisdictions. These units should not only be established but also be appropriately resourced both financially and in terms of adequate human resources.

Yes National police units that include sexual exploitation of children in their mandate exist and function effectively. Dedicated allocation of budget is made. Both offences under national and extra-territorial jurisdictions are able to be addressed by these units.

Partially National law enforcement units that include sexual exploitation of children in their mandate exist but may not be fully functional. In addition:
– Either national or extra-territorial jurisdiction is covered by these units, but not both; OR
– It is unclear whether these units address both offences under national and extra-territorial jurisdictions.

No The country does not have national law enforcement units that specifically include sexual exploitation of children in their mandate.

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Binding Requirements for Travel and Tourism Businesses Encompassing Child Protection from Sexual Exploitation

Existence of child protection standards for the travel and tourism industry.

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Businesses in the travel and tourism industry are in a unique position to identify the most vulnerable and to prevent the crime of sexual exploitation of children along with its online elements. Beyond moral imperative, there is a need for clear legal obligation for business to take an active role in eradicating this crime, along with intergovernmental bodies, national governments and civil society organizations.

Yes The national primary legislation includes binding requirements for travel and tourism businesses encompassing child protection from sexual exploitation. These can include industry-specific standards based on compliance with national codes for child protection or sustainability standards and certification mechanisms that include child protection, as a legal requirement for private travel and tourism businesses to operate in the country.

Partially The national subsidiary legislation/policies include industry specific non-binding requirements for travel and tourism businesses encompassing child protection from sexual exploitation. These can include industry specific standards based on voluntary compliance with national codes for child protection or sustainability standards and certification mechanisms that include child protection, including as members of The Code of Conduct for child protection in the context of travel and tourism (the Code).

No The country does not have national legislation nor subsidiary legislation/policies nor codes regulating child protection from sexual exploitation by travel and tourism businesses.

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National Data Encompassing Information Regarding Child Sexual Exploitation Cases Made Available to the Public.

National data sets made public by government about sexual exploitation of children include information about reported cases, prosecuted cases and compensation sought by victims.

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The existence and availability of national level data about the sexual exploitation of children is needed to effectively direct national efforts to address the sexual exploitation of children. This data may inform prevention efforts, legal and policy development for the punishment of perpetrators and the provision of quality support services (and financial aid) for children who have experienced sexual exploitation.
At the minimum, data should be disaggregated by age of the victims (children/adults but also different age ranges among child victims) and the perpetrators, gender, nationality of the victim and the perpetrators, type of abuse/exploitation.

Yes National level data about reported, prosecuted cases of SEC, and compensation sought by victims is regularly made publicly available This data is disaggregated into categories for age, gender, nationality, types of abuse/exploitation and victim/offender.

Partially National level data about reported, prosecuted cases of SEC, and compensation sought by victims is publicly available, but no clear commitment to do so regularly, and not clearly disaggregated into categories for age, gender, nationality, types of abuse/exploitation and victim/offender.

No National level data about reported, prosecuted cases of SEC, and compensation sought by victims is not publicly available.

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