The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography give rise to a legal framework for child protection against sexual violence.

Likewise, the international community has been actively responsive in this connection, and therefore mention should be made to the Declaration and Agenda for Action against Sexual Exploitation adopted at the First World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children held in Stockholm in 1996.

Within such context, the Inter-American Children's Institute (IIN), in its capacity as a Specialized Organization of the Organization of American States (OAS) working on children and the family, adhered to the interest and concern of the Member States about CSEC and undertook an active work on this issue.

On 7 June, 1999, the General Assembly, as the highest organ of the Organization of American States, adopted Resolution AG/RES. 1667 (XXIX-O/99) where it provides: “To instruct the Inter-American Children’s Institute to prepare an annual report, to be submitted to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, describing the steps taken by the member states to combat the commercial and other sexual exploitation of children and adolescents."

The following are the reports submitted to the Secretary General:

VIII Informe al Secretario General de la OEA sobre las acciones emprendidas por los Estados Miembros para combatir la explotación sexual comercial de niñas, niños y adolescentes en las Américas - 2007 (Spanish)

Séptimo Informe al Secretario General de la OEA sobre la situación de la Explotación Sexual Comercial de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes en las Américas - 2006 (Spanish)

Sixth Report to the Secretary General of the OAS on Child Commercial Sexual Exploitation in the Americas - 2005

Fifth Report to the Secretary General of the OAS on the Situation of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in the Americas - 2004

Fourth Report on the Situation of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in the Americas – 2003

Tercer Informe sobre la situación de la Explotación Sexual Comercial de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes en las Américas - 2002 (Spanish)

Report by the Inter-American Children´s Institute to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States Dr. Cesar Gaviria on the situation of commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the Americas. – 2001