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Malta ratifies treaty banning sale, prostitution of children

Wed, Sep 29 2010 10:52 CET

byThe Sofia Echo staff

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Malta ratifies treaty banning sale, prostitution of children

Photo: Reuters

A top United Nations official hailed on September 28 2010 Malta’s ratification of a global treaty banning the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography as a critical step towards protecting the rights of young people, the UN News Service said.

Malta’s ratification brings the number of State parties to the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography to 141.

The treaty, one of two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, extends the obligations of States parties to guarantee the protection of children from sale, pornography and prostitution, through explicit prohibition of these acts in their laws.

"The ratification of this treaty by the Government of Malta is a message of hope for children, within Malta and across nations," said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais.

"It strengthens the protection of the rights of child victims and consolidates international cooperation to fight impunity for crimes against children, including the sale of children, trafficking and sexual exploitation."

Speaking at the ratification ceremony, held at UN Headquarters on the margins of the General Assembly’s annual high-level general debate, Santos Pais said Malta’s step is also an expression of strong support to the UN campaign for the universal ratification of the two Optional Protocols to the child rights convention.

The other Optional Protocol is on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

The UN launched the campaign in May, which coincided with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Optional Protocols, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for full ratification by 2012.

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