Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of
the Child on the sale of children,
child prostitution and child pornography
Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by
General Assembly resolution A/RES/54/263 of 25 May 2000
entered into force on 18 January 2002
The States Parties to the present Protocol,
Considering that, in order further to achieve the purposes of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child and the implementation of its provisions, especially articles 1, 11, 21, 32, 33, 34, 35 and
36, it would be appropriate to extend the measures that States Parties should undertake in order
to guarantee the protection of the child from the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography,
Considering also that the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of the child
to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be
hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or
physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development,
Gravely concerned at the significant and increasing international traffic in children for the
purpose of the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography,
Deeply concerned at the widespread and continuing practice of sex tourism, to which children are
especially vulnerable, as it directly promotes the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography,
Recognizing that a number of particularly vulnerable groups, including girl children, are at
greater risk of sexual exploitation and that girl children are disproportionately represented
among the sexually exploited,
Concerned about the growing availability of child pornography on the Internet and other evolving
technologies, and recalling the International Conference on Combating Child Pornography on the
Internet, held in Vienna in 1999, in particular its conclusion calling for the worldwide
criminalization of the production, distribution, exportation, transmission, importation, intentional
possession and advertising of child pornography, and stressing the importance of closer
cooperation and partnership between Governments and the Internet industry,
Believing that the elimination of the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography will
be facilitated by adopting a holistic approach, addressing the contributing factors, including
underdevelopment, poverty, economic disparities, inequitable socio-economic structure,
dysfunctioning families, lack of education, urban-rural migration, gender discrimination,
irresponsible adult sexual behaviour, harmful traditional practices, armed conflicts and trafficking
in children,
Believing also that efforts to raise public awareness are needed to reduce consumer demand for
the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and believing further in the
importance of strengthening global partnership among all actors and of improving law
enforcement at the national level,