EU Declaration – Third Committee of the UN General Assembly: Interactive dialogue on the sexual exploitation of children

10 October 2024, New York – Statement by the European Union at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Third Committee Interactive dialogue with Ms Mama Fatima Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sex acts abuse material

Mr/Madam Chairman,

On behalf of the European Union and its Member States, I thank the Special Rapporteur for her important report.

Madam Rapporteur,

We fully support your mandate and welcome the focus of this year’s report on technology-facilitated violations against children. We are alarmed by the increasing prevalence and severity of harm caused by misuse of technologies, and especially by the rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. We are deeply concerned that authorities are not adequately equipped to prevent and tackle online criminal activity against children. We support your recommendations regarding strengthening legal frameworks and regulatory oversight; mainstreaming a child-centred and human rights-based approach, and ensuring that technology companies have all the necessary systems in place to fulfill their responsibilities in preventing and responding to the potential violations.

We join your call to ensure comprehensive and effective reporting mechanisms; age- and gender-sensitive, trauma-informed referral and support services, as well as access to justice and remedies for child victims and survivors, who should never be viewed or treated as perpetrators.

The European Union is committed to these objectives. For example, the AI ​​law adopted by the EU aims to identify and minimize the risks arising from the use of AI, including those related to the rights of the child.

Madam Rapporteur, we would like to ask the following questions:

• What can be done if a technology company denies cooperation with government agencies or does not fall under their jurisdiction?
• How can Member States work with your Agency to build capacity to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation, both online and offline?