NEWS RELEASES
AXWORTHY AND FRY TO ATTEND WORLD CONGRESS AGAINST COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
August 22, 1996 No. 145
AXWORTHY AND FRY TO ATTEND WORLD CONGRESS AGAINST
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy will head Canada's delegation to the World
Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Stockholm, Sweden,
August 27-31, 1996. Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) Hedy
Fry will assume the role of alternate head of the Canadian delegation. Senator
Landon Pearson, Minister Axworthy's Special Advisor on Children's Issues, and
Paddy Torsney, Member of Parliament for Burlington, will also participate.
"The Congress will be a crucial opportunity to mobilize political will and find
the means to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Canada will
support the Plan of Action to stop the victimization of innocent children," said
Mr. Axworthy.
The Congress will address eight themes: children in pornography; law reform and
enforcement; tourism and child prostitution; prevention and psychological
rehabilitation; health issues; education and training; the sex exploiter; and the
role of the media.
The Stockholm Congress is co-sponsored by the UN Children's Fund, End Child
Prostitution in Asian Tourism (ECPAT), the Government of Sweden and the
international non-governmental organization Group for the Convention on the Rights
of the Child.
On August 27, Mr. Axworthy will have a bilateral meeting with his Swedish
counterpart, Mrs. Lena Hjelm-Wallén, to discuss common issues such as United
Nations reform, human rights, European security and bilateral relations.
Mr. Axworthy will then visit Tallinn, Estonia, on August 28, and Vilnius,
Lithuania on August 29 to promote bilateral relations with both countries.
-30-
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Catherine Lappe
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
|