A/HRC/4/72 page 9 29. With these provisions, Venezuela notes that it has established a legislative mechanism to prevent the separation of children from their families and to close any loopholes that would allow crimes infringing the rights of the child. The letter indicates an exemplary list of crimes contained in LOPNA that reflect how the abduction of children is related to a variety of prejudicial and illicit ends. Thus, for example, the law addresses illegal transport and accommodation of children, sexual exploitation and abuse, child pornography, child labour, trafficking and illegal deprivation of liberty. 30. The National Council on the Rights of the Child has also undertaken initiatives to prevent trafficking in children. These include the adoption and implementation of regulations governing the domestic and international travel of children and rules on domestic and international adoption. 31. In a letter dated 12 December 2005, Mauritius indicated that it had acceded to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which provides for cooperation among contracting States for the return of children wrongly removed or retained. The Child Development Unit of the Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development, Family Welfare and Consumer Protection, which is responsible for implementing the provisions of the convention, presently is prosecuting 22 cases of child abduction. IV. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT 32. In a memorandum dated 1 November 2005, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict provided the information that follows: the Office of the Special Representative advocated for the adoption of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict, which endorsed the monitoring and reporting mechanism (MRM) proposed by the Secretary-General in his 2005 report to the Security Council and the General Assembly on children and armed conflict (A/59/695-S/2005/72). The Security Council requested that the Secretary-General implement the monitoring and reporting mechanism initially in countries listed in annex I of the report (Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and the Sudan). The MRM will focus on six grave violations against the rights of war-affected children, including abduction. The purpose of the MRM is to provide “timely, objective, accurate, and reliable information” on such grave violations relevant to compliance and decision-making by national governments, regional organizations, the Commission on Human Rights and other United Nations entities. 33. Resolution 1612 (2005) also creates a Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict to review monitoring reports and recommend concrete and targeted measures against violators. Under France’s leadership, the Working Group met for the first time in November 2005 to discuss the implementation of the MRM. The Working Group will also ensure that the Security Council reviews progress made in protecting children exposed to armed conflict and addresses measures to be taken against repeat offenders. 34. Developments with regard to the activities of the Security Council Working Group since November 2005 include the following: The Working Group has held 6 meetings and is expected