[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 84 (Friday, June 21, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5895-S5896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RATIFICATION OF NEW YORK TREATIES AGAINST THE SALE, TRAFFICKING, AND 
   PROSTITUTION OF CHILDREN AND AGAINST THE USE OF CHILDREN IN COMBAT

  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, it gives me great pleasure to hail the 
ratification of the Optional Protocol Against the Sale of Children, 
Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography by the U.S. Senate this week. 
I applaud the strong leadership of Senator Biden, Chairman of the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Helms, the Ranking 
Member of that Committee, as well as Senator Boxer in bringing this new 
treaty to fruition.
  The use, procuring, or offering of a child for prostitution, for the 
production of pornography, or for pornographic purposes is included in 
the universal definition of the worst forms of child labor in the 
International Labor Organization's Convention 182 which this Senate 
ratified in 1999 on a 96-0 vote. Therefore, it is altogether fitting 
and proper that we now follow through and adopt this new instrument of 
international law to crackdown worldwide against the despicable acts of 
trafficking and prostituting of children.
  This Optional Protocol gives special emphasis to the criminalization 
of the sale and trafficking of children as well as child prostitution 
and pornography. It also stresses the importance of improved 
international cooperation and coordination to combat the sexual 
exploitation of children everywhere in the world, while also promoting 
heightened awareness, more information

[[Page S5896]]

 gathering, and public education campaigns to enhance the protection of 
children trapped in one of the worst forms of child labor.
  For nearly a decade, I have been working hard to end the scourge of 
abusive child labor. It is a tragic and disturbing fact that millions 
of children under 18 years of age currently endure slave-like 
conditions in brothels, back alleys, and hideaways that jeopardize 
their basic health, safety and well-being. These children are being 
tricked, lured, and sold outright for purposes of forced labor and 
exploitation in the commercial sex trade of prostitution and 
pornography.
  In the European Union, the International Organization for Migration 
reports a marked increase in the number of unaccompanied minors 
trafficked for sexual purposes from Central and Eastern Europe, Africa 
and Asia.
  In India alone, hundreds of thousands of children exist in slavery-
like conditions for purposes of forced labor or prostitution, according 
to the U.S. Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights 
Practices.
  UNICEF estimates that at least 200,000 children every year are 
trafficked into the Central and West African slave trade for purposes 
of forced labor.
  In Mexico, a UNICEF study estimates that 16,000 children are victims 
of sexual exploitation--many of them are prostituted in tourist 
destinations such as Cancun and Acapulco.
  In the United States, experts within the Department of Justice 
estimate that at least 100,000 children are involved in the sex trade 
in any given year. Approximately 400 cases of Internet child 
pornography are prosecuted each year in the Federal courts alone. I am 
pleased to report, for example, that a crackdown on Internet child 
pornography was launched last year in Des Moines, the capital city of 
my own home state.
  A 1999 report issued by the Central Intelligence Agency estimated 
that up to 50,000 women and children are trafficked into the United 
States each year.
  We must not stand by while millions of children are sold for purposes 
of forced labor and consigned to prostitution and pornography in order 
to satisfy adults who profit from their abuse. When presented with the 
dimensions of human trafficking in 2000, I joined 94 of my colleagues 
in the U.S. Senate to express both our outrage over the criminal 
behavior of child traffickers and our support for the victims of 
trafficking by passing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
  This week we are taking more effective action through ratification of 
the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and 
Child Pornography. It is an important victory in our effort to protect 
children everywhere. I look forward to continuing this effort with my 
colleagues in the weeks, months, and years to come. In approving this 
new stand-alone treaty, we are affirming that the American people 
believe that all children, given their vulnerability to adult coercion 
and greed, deserve special protection in international law and practice 
against sexual predators and exploiters.
  I also want to take a moment to say how pleased I am that the Senate 
this week has ratified the Optional Protocol Against the Use of 
Children in Armed Conflict.
  As you know, I worked very hard with Senator Helms, in particular, to 
secure ratification of the International Labor Organization's (ILO) 
Convention #182 to Prohibit the Worst Forms of Child Labor. Our 
bipartisan efforts paid off when the Senate in November, 1999 ratified 
that important new human rights treaty on a 96-0 vote.
  Now included in the universal definition of the worst forms of child 
labor within ILO Convention #182 is the prohibition of forced or 
compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict. 
Therefore, the Senate's action this week on this Optional Protocol 
means the U.S. has followed through on our international commitment at 
the time that ILO Convention #182 was under negotiation and joined the 
world community in universally condemning and outlawing the recruitment 
and use of child soldiers.
  It probably seems unthinkable to most Americans that young children 
have been recruited, trained, and turned into soldiers who are actively 
engaged in combat. The latest research estimates that more than 300,000 
children under 18 years of age are participating in armed conflicts 
around the world. For example, there are an estimated 50,000 child 
soldiers in Burma alone. Hundreds of thousands more are members of 
armed forces who could be sent into combat at any moment. Although most 
child recruits are over fifteen years of age, significant recruitment 
starts at ten years, and the use of even younger children is not 
uncommon.
  Robbed of their childhood, child combatants are subjected to a cycle 
of violence that they are too young to understand or resist. While many 
of these young recruits may start out as porters or messengers, too 
often they end up on the front lines of combat. Some are used for 
especially hazardous duty, such as entering mine fields ahead of older 
troops, or undertaking suicide missions. Some have been forced to 
commit atrocities against family members or relatives. Inexperienced 
and immature, these children suffer far higher casualty rates than 
their adult counterparts. Those who survive are often physically or 
psychologically scarred for life. Typically lacking an education or 
civilian job skills, their futures are often very bleak.
  Ninety-three percent of Americans believe that combatants should be 
at least 18 years of age, according to a recent poll conducted by the 
International Committee of the Red Cross. Accordingly, I want to 
particularly salute the leadership of my colleagues, Senator Biden, 
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Helms, 
the Ranking Member of that Committee, as well as Senator Wellstone and 
thank them for their tireless work to see this treaty through to 
ratification. There is absolutely no justification for the forced or 
compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for deployment into combat 
anywhere in this world and I am proud that America is doing our part to 
end this egregious abuse of human rights and affront to common decency.

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