Information, Communication and Education Resources

Funders: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg*, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France*, ECPAT Luxembourg*, Groupe Developpement*
Total Expenditure: US$ 201,075

The documentation, analysis, exchange and dissemination of accurate and current information
on CSEC is crucial to ECPAT’s work on combating sexual exploitation of children. A resource centre is based at the ECPAT International Secretariat which supports the global ECPAT network and other child rights organisations with information and educational services. The Resource Centre houses thousands of catalogued books, reports, videos, CD-ROMs, newsletters and other documents on CSEC. Country specific information on initiatives to prevent CSEC and to protect and assist child victims is maintained and shared through a CSEC database, accessible through the ECPAT website.

The ECPAT website is the central point for the dissemination of ECPAT publications and
information on CSEC. The website, which is in the process of being redesigned and re launched is available in three languages and is regularly revised and updated with new publications and activities of the network and the Secretariat. Several website projects have recently been completed, including a website for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) within the ECPAT International homepage. A website was also developed for the UN Study on Violence against Children in Cyberspace as well as a new area featuring ECPAT’s work on child and youth participation. ECPAT International also worked closely with the ECPAT Foundation, our network partner in Thailand, to develop a new website for them.

The Information and Education Department (IED) publishes reports, booklets, brochures and
other materials to support awareness raising, knowledge building and sharing of practices and
experiences for organisations lobbying for improved child protection at local levels. Materials
are published in many languages, reflecting the international reach of ECPAT’s work. These
languages include Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic and Thai in addition to English.

During 2005/2006, a major publication was developed, entitled “Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Violence in Disaster and Emergency Situations”. This publication provides practical information for personnel working with children in emergency and disaster situations. IED assisted with the writing, design and production of this publication, working closely with ECPAT International’s Care and Protection Programme Officer.

In 2006, ECPAT, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children
collaborated to produce a Child-Safe Organisations training toolkit. This multimedia resource
pack has been developed for NGOs to use in the protection of children and includes a section
on child protection in emergency situations. It provides a framework for the development and
practical application of child protection policies within local organisations that work with and
for children. The Information and Education Department assisted in the completion of the
publication and organised the printing, launch event and press conference.

IED also facilitated the production of a new study on prostitution of boys, a less well known area of commercial sexual exploitation of children. This research was conducted in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and led to the publication of the “South Asia Report on the Prostitution of Boys”.

ECPAT International strives to ensure its work is constantly updated. During this reporting
period, the Information and Education Department updated publications including the training
manual, “Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Children who have been Commercially Sexually
Exploited” and self study guides, “Violence against Children in Cyberspace” book and CD, Child Friendly Definitions brochure and a Youth Partnership Project brochure.

Translation of ECPAT’s materials continued to enable the fight against CSEC to be broadened
globally. Translations included the Online Safety Guide (from Thai to English), the Child Friendly Definitions brochure (from English to French), make-IT-safe campaign materials (into Spanish, French and Arabic) and the Code of Conduct (from English to Arabic).

ECPAT International publishes a newsletter designed to keep the ECPAT network informed
of the latest developments and to encourage articles to be contributed by its members. Topics
covered during the year included the General Assembly, Violence in Cyberspace, the make-ITsafe campaign, protection of children in emergency situations and protecting children from
trafficking in Eastern Europe.

IED played a key role in the Assembly, preparing documentation materials and publications for
display. Translations were arranged into French and Spanish, display panels in three languages
were updated and ECPAT International booklets in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese
were distributed throughout the Assembly. Additionally, a new booklet featuring detailed
information on the ECPAT network was devised for inclusion in participant’s packages, along
with a range of publicity materials.

* Work supported by these donors but financial support received after June 2006.

Media and Communications

Funders: General Fund Donors
Total Expenditure: US$ 61,281

ECPAT International continues to be represented at a wide range of events, forums and workshops throughout the world. These have included adding inputs to the UN reform, being an active participant on impacts of reform proposals on the Committee on the Rights of the Child and contributing to the draft text of proposed UN Guidelines for the Protection of Children without Parental Care. ECPAT also co-convenes the NGO Group “Sub-Group on Sexual Exploitation” in collaboration with the International Catholic Child Bureau (BICE) and has contributed to the reports of the special rapporteurs on demand for sex with children as well as the UN Study on Violence against Children.

In April 2006, ECPAT was represented at the Council of Europe programme “Building a Europe for and with Children”. ECPAT was invited to this event as an expert panelist for the session on “combating sexual abuse in the cyber-era”. ECPAT also joined ILO/IPEC in discussions to undertake region-wide meetings in the Americas, served as one of the lead agencies in the Day of Discussion forum for the participation of young people and continued working with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and UNICEF to monitor the implementation of the Yokohoma agreements.