A/HRC/25/48 2. Communications 5. A summary of communications sent and replies received appears in the communication report (A/HRC/23/51). III. Reflecting on a six-year tenure as Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography A. Objective and methodology 6. As she reached the end of her mandate, the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography undertook to review the major developments relating to her work that have taken place over the past six years and draw lessons from her experience as mandate holder. Since 2008, the world has undergone significant changes that have had a far-reaching impact on the extent and nature of the sale and sexual exploitation of children. The progression of globalization, the continued expansion of the use of the Internet, including in developing countries, increased migration — either internationally or domestically, in particular due to urbanization, the economic and financial crisis, natural disasters, conflicts and climate-related changes have all affected children’s vulnerability. Although numerous efforts have been undertaken to address the scourge of the sale and sexual exploitation of children through a better understanding of these phenomena and innovative practices and enhanced cooperation among actors, numerous gaps remain. 7. Against this backdrop, the Special Rapporteur has deployed significant efforts to raise awareness of the issue, sharing her experience and expertise, encouraging coordination among key stakeholders, and advocating for responses at the global, regional and national levels. She has produced action-oriented reports with a view to reinforcing policies and practices. Her participation in numerous conferences, expert and high-level meetings has contributed to the visibility of the issue. She has advised on regional and global strategies aimed at addressing these phenomena. 8. In carrying out her mandate, the Special Rapporteur has taken a holistic approach to addressing the sale and sexual exploitation of children, building on the interdependence and interrelatedness of children’s rights. The sale and sexual exploitation of children are complex phenomena with multiple manifestations and a wide array of root causes. Their manifestations and the factors that expose children to risk have significantly changed in the past as a result of developments in the global environment. 9. Taking stock of the six years of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, the present report aims to identify responses and good practices across regions and to inform future efforts. 10. The report is based on the work carried out by the Special Rapporteur and her predecessors, including through country visits, on reports and studies of United Nations human rights mechanisms and agencies, other regional, international and non-governmental organizations, and on academic research. B. Overview of the issues and trends relating to the mandate 11. An analysis of the core substantive aspects of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate points to a worsening of several manifestations of the sale and sexual exploitation of children. However, the real scope is still unknown due to various factors, such as the inadequacy of some legislation, which does not clearly define all the relevant offences, the 4