About the mandate
The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children is mandated to analyse the root causes of sale and sexual exploitation of children, identify new patterns of the phenomena, exchange good practices to combat it, promote measures to prevent it, and make recommendations for the rehabilitation of child victims of sale and sexual exploitation.
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was created in
1990 and is the only mandate of the UN Special procedures system with an exclusive focus on children.
Learn more about the mandate and its purpose.
Current mandate holder
Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh (Gambia) was appointed as the UN Special Rapporteur on sale the and sexual exploitation of children by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2020. She started her mandate on 1 May 2020.
Ms. Singhateh is a trained lawyer with over 20 years of experience, currently working as an international consultant on human rights and legal and institutional reforms. She holds a master’s degree in International Business Law from the University of Hull and has undergone numerous trainings in child rights programming, arbitration and mediation, and legislative drafting.
Read Ms. Singhateh’s full biography.
Key documents
25 Years of Fighting the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children:
Addressing new challenges
This handbook, produced by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, with support from Plan International, Defence for Children-ECPAT Netherlands, and Terre des Hommes International. It commemorates the 25 years of achievements of this mandate.
PDF:
English
Child-friendly booklet on the mandate
This booklet teaches children how to connect with the Special Rapporteur and how to find out what’s being done in their country to protect children.
PDF:
العربية |
English |
Français |
Español
Child-friendly fact sheet on the mandate
This fact sheet instructs children on key information regarding the Special Rapporteur, including: the function of the mandate, the activities of Special Rapporteur, and the violations addressed by the mandate.
PDF:
English |
Français |
Español
Terminology guidelines for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse
This document provides individuals and agencies working for the prevention and elimination of all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children with guidance on the different terms and concepts they may encounter in their work.
PDF:
English |
Français |
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Latest thematic reports
Vision and methods of work of the Special Rapporteur: This report, submitted at the 75th session of the General Assembly, provides an outline of the direction that the Special Rapporteur intends to take for the duration of their mandate, including their approach to and vision of the scope of the mandate and the methods of work that will be developed for its strategic implementation. View report page | View document
A/75/210
Reflections of the Special Rapporteur on 2014-2020 tenure: This report, submitted to the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council, contains reflections on the Special Rapporteur’s six-year tenure (2014-2020), an analysis of key challenges, trends and concerns related to the mandate, and recommendations for the way forward.
View report page | View document
A/HRC/43/40
Latest country visits
Mission to Montenegro (8-16 September 2021)
View document: A/HRC/49/51/Add.1
Mission to Gambia (21 October to 29 October 2019)
View document:
A/HRC/46/31/Add.1
Mission to Bulgaria (1 April to 8 April 2019)
View document:
A/HRC/43/40/Add.1
See more country visits
