A/HRC/2/SR.12 achieve the MDGs and meet their core obligations under the international human rights instruments. 33. Referring to the Independent Expert’s mission to Mozambique, he asked whether the benefits derived from foreign debt relief had produced any tangible results. If not, it would be useful to know what obstacles were hampering progress. Did the Independent Expert believe that debt relief alone might not be a solution and that innovative financial processes like “front-loading” might be needed to jump-start the process? 34. With regard to the need to integrate human rights considerations in microeconomic policy making, he said that while respect for human rights was important, it should not become an impediment to economic growth. What were now developed countries had not been subject to human rights-related conditions in the early days of their development. He invited the Independent Expert to offer his views on the effectiveness of mutually reinforcing methods. 35. Ms. Diallo (Mali) said that the 2005 Multilateral Agreement to Combat Child Trafficking in West Africa mentioned in the report of the Special Rapporteur demonstrated the commitment of the countries in the subregion to combat child trafficking effectively. In addition, Mali had withdrawn its reservation to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and concluded bilateral cooperation agreements with several neighbouring countries with the aim of combating trafficking. Within that framework, dozens of Malian children working on plantations in neighbouring countries had been repatriated. 36. The promotion and protection of the rights of women and children was one of the key priorities of Mali’s human rights policy. To give effect to that political will, her Government had established a special Ministry for the Promotion of Women, Children and the Family and a “Children’s parliament”. While her delegation supported the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur, too much emphasis had been placed on the sexual exploitation of children and not enough had been said about children sold as cheap labour falling victim to a merciless market economy. 37. Ms. Khavn (Russian Federation) asked whether the Special Rapporteur could provide up-to-date information on effective action taken by Governments to prevent the use of the Internet for the exploitation of children, or recommend suitable measures to that end. She would be interested to learn the Special Rapporteur’s views on the globalization of prostitution and requested clarification on the distinction between voluntary and forced sexual services mentioned in the report. 38. Mr. Cerda (Argentina) agreed with the Special Rapporteur on the need for greater emphasis on the demand factor in the commercial sexual exploitation of children. 39. Turning to the Independent Expert’s report contained in document E/CN.4/2006/Add.1, he drew particular attention to paragraphs 25 and 37 (d). The Independent Expert had recommended that the indicators for measuring qualitatively the basic requirements for the realization of human rights should be developed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. It might be preferable to develop those indicators in the context of the Open-ended Working Group on the Right to Development, which had already pointed to the need for certain human rights indicators to measure debt-service sustainability in quantitative terms. 40. Mr. Solano Ortiz (Observer for Costa Rica) agreed with the Special Rapporteur that child-abusers should be effectively prosecuted. He also shared the Special Rapporteur’s view that effective action must be taken to prevent sexual abuse of minors by United Nations peacekeepers and employees of international organizations and to punish such conduct severely when it occurred. He asked whether it might be feasible in the short term for the international community to classify such acts as crimes under international law and GE.09-17372 7

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