§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what actions the Government are taking to reduce the sex trade in young girls in(a) the Ivory Coast and (b) Africa. [14074]
§ Clare ShortThe Government have signed the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that strengthens the protection it gives against the sale of children, and child prostitution, and also the new convention against transnational crime that includes a protocol on trafficking of women and children.
Our support for the work of the International Labour Organisation is focused on eliminating such worst forms of child labour.
We are working with European partners and African states on this issue. It was one of the most important issues tackled at the recent Africa-EU summit. The states in the region are making serious efforts to counter it.