CRC/C/GEO/CO/4
(c)
Challenges in the investigation of child sexual abuse cases and the
identification of victims, such as the non-existence of the planned digital evidence research
unit, the limited activity of the cybercrime unit, the insufficient geographic coverage of the
toll-free helpline and the length of the number of the helpline;
(d)
Insufficient awareness in the general population and specifically among
children, parents and professionals, of the referral and reporting mechanisms for cases of
sexual exploitation, of the potential dangers to children in their online behaviour and of the
existence of a toll-free child helpline;
(e)
The absence of protocols to regulate and reinforce cooperation between the
public and private sectors and of international cooperation to combat online child abuse and
exploitation;
(f)
The outsourcing of rehabilitation services for child victims of neglect, abuse
and exploitation, including sexual exploitation, and the lack of financial resources for such
services.
24.
The Committee reiterates its previous concluding
CRC/C/GEO/CO/3, para. 67) and urges the State party to:
observations
(see
(a)
Establish a national database on all cases of sexual exploitation and
abuse of children, including cases of online abuse and exploitation and cases
happening within the family, and undertake a comprehensive assessment of the extent,
causes and nature of these phenomena, with a particular focus on the impact of
information and communications technologies on child sexual abuse and exploitation;
(b)
Reinforce the victim identification process for cases of sexual abuse and
exploitation of children, including by adopting proactive investigation and prosecution
strategies, allocate the necessary human, technical and financial resources to the
specialized cybercrime unit and establish the planned digital evidence research unit;
(d)
Train actors potentially involved in the detection of children suspected of
having been subjected to sexual exploitation or abuse, on applicable international
child-rights norms and standards, on protection, reporting and referral procedures
and a child-friendly and gender-sensitive approach to them;
(e)
Change the toll-free helpline into a three-digit-number, in order to
facilitate its use by children, and guarantee access to the toll-free helpline in all
regions of the country;
(f)
Raise the awareness of parents, children, teachers, health officials and
others working with and for children, and especially of children who are particularly
vulnerable to sexual exploitation, of reporting and referral procedures and of ways of
minimizing the risks to children in their online conduct;
(g)
Develop public and private sector protocols and strengthen international
cooperation between law enforcement bodies to combat child sexual exploitation
online;
(h)
Strengthen the financial resources and support for assistance allocated
to child victims of abuse and neglect, in order to ensure that they have access to
services for recovery, counselling and other forms of rehabilitation, and meet the
childcare standards defined in August 2012;
(i)
Continue collaboration with relevant non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and seek technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF.
Harmful practices
25.
The Committee welcomes the abolishment by 1 January 2017 of the legal
provisions allowing the marriage of children before the age of 18 and recommends
that the State party develop awareness-raising campaigns and programmes to
reinforce the implementation of the law.
8