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ARC becomes first Maldivian member of ECPAT International

Fathmath Shaahunaz
14 December 2020, MVT 19:28
Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) became the first Maldivian member of ECPAT International on December 14, 2020. PHOTO/ARC
Fathmath Shaahunaz
14 December 2020, MVT 19:28

Local NGO Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) on Monday became the first Maldivian member of ECPAT International, one of the largest global networks of civil society organisations working to end the sexual exploitation of children.

ARC stated that it hopes to draw from ECPAT’s experience, expertise and resource hub to end the sexual exploitation of children in Maldives, as well as expand the organisation's advocacy efforts at the national, regional and global level.

As the first Maldivian member of ECPAT, ARC further noted that this development would bring the global network's efforts into Maldives, which was one of the few countries in South Asia without ECPAT presence.

"ARC’s ECPAT’s membership also comes at a critical juncture where increased risk factors for sexual exploitation of children such as high internet penetration rate, expanding guesthouse tourism and remoteness of the islands have been observed", said the NGO in a statement.

ECPAT International presently has 121 members in 103 countries, working to end the sexual exploitation of children for prostitution and trafficking, online and in the travel and tourism sector.

ARC is also a member of the National Action Coordination Group on Violence Against Children (NACG), a regional civil society network working to end violence against children, and the International Coalition to Ratify OP3 CRC, an international civil society network lobby to ratify the CRC Optional Protocol on Communications Procedure.

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