"Commercial sexual exploitation of children is a grave violation of their human rights," said Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka at the opening ceremony. "Neglecting their rights and dignity is equivalent to denying our future." She urged participants to resolve to fight sexual exploitation.

The First Congress, held in Stockholm in 1996, and other events in recent years have steadily raised the awareness of the sexual exploitation of children. Children's rights are now more prominent on the political agenda of many countries. An Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Child Prostitution and Pornography was adopted by UN member countries and opened to signatures. The International Labor Organization adopted Convention 182 to eliminate the worst forms of child labor including prostitution. Businesses are also taking steps to eliminate exploitation such as sex tourism thanks to increased international attention and pressure. Still, as the congress clearly outlined, millions of children continue to be targeted and affected by sexual exploitation.

"Each year, millions of children -- boys as well as girls -- are bought and sold like fresh produce, commodities in a global sex industry steeped in greed and unspeakable cruelty," said Carol Bellamy, executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund. She said that victims of exploitation are overwhelmingly drawn from the most vulnerable ranks of society such as refugees, orphans, abandoned children, child laborers and children in armed conflict.

Sexual exploitation was on the agenda for the UN Special Session on Children which was scheduled for September 2001. The meeting was canceled following the September 11 attacks, however, leaving the Yokohama Congress--jointly sponsored by Unicef, the Japanese government and two private nongovernmental organizations--as the main event to address this and other children's issues. The Special Session has now been rescheduled for May 2002 and the results of the congress will be presented to the General Assembly during the Session.

Over 3000 from 134 countries attended the Congress, representing governments, NGOs, international organizations and the private sector. 100 youth delegates, including child victims of sexual abuse, also participated in the meeting. Some of the most persuasive speakers at the congress were those who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation firsthand. One child, Lee, related her experience to the Japan Times newspaper of being sold to an American man for four days, then to a Japanese man and others before finally being rescued by police.

According to NGO World Vision, governments have not done nearly enough to counter commercial sexual exploitation, especially sexual tourism, since the 1996 Stockholm conference. "Sex tourism is a black eye on the entire tourist industry," said Laurence Gray with World Vision Cambodia. "Children deserve better than this and it's a situation that can be prevented -- right from the outset -- if all governments will only take this issue seriously."

Japan was one of the countries criticized for dragging its feet in bringing an end to sexual tourism. According to Helena Karlen, secretary general of the Swedish branch of NGO ECPAT, a co-sponsor of the Congress, "many governments are now talking of a 'zero tolerance' policy and focusing on rescue and rehabilitation schemes." ECPAT is still, however, "anxiously waiting for the Japanese travel industry to join the effort." According to her the Japan Association of Travel Agents has yet to join other leading tour operators in moving to eliminate sex tourism, this despite the fact that they sent more than 17 million tourists overseas in 2001.

The Japanese practice of "enjo-kosai" or compensated dating, also came under sharp criticism. Young women, especially school girls, date older men for a "compensation" which can include money and expensive gifts. The Japanese government did not enact legislation to protect minors from prostitution and pornography until 1999. Since November 1999 and June 2000 the number of arrests under the new legislation is over 1000, according to the Japan Times.

Many of these arrests have been linked to Internet based match-making sites which connect young girls and men. According to Japanese surveys there are over 2000 cell-phone match-making sites, far outnumbering the 800 plus personal computer-based sites with similar services. The high penetration of Internet-capable mobile phones among young Japanese girls means that these sites have easy and willing targets.

According to the reports, experts point to low self-esteem, rising domestic violence and the tolerance of widespread, abusive images of sex. Japanese Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama spoke at the congress and criticized the local media for the "deplorable way in which enjo-kosai is treated as a fashion." Princess Takamado, of the Japanese Royal Family, was an active participant at the Congress and stressed the need for cooperation in combatting phenomena like enjo-kosai.

"Even if he is not the actual exploiter," she said, "every adult who looks the other way is guilty of creating a social climate that allows the crime to take place."

The Congress concluded with the "Yokohama Global Commitment," which "puts the protection and promotion of the interests and right of the child to be protected from all forms of sexual exploitation" as a primary goal. The key factor needed now is implementation of the goals laid out in this commitment.

"Much greater political will and resources are needed," said Mehr Khan, Unicef Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific. "Partnerships and networks must be enlarged and children fully involved in the effort. At this congress their energy and dedication have given us hope that they will build societies that will not tolerate the sexual exploitation and abuse of their children.