Our partners at ICMEC (International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children) recently issued the 8th edition of their report Child Pornography: Model Legislation and Global Review.

More than a decade ago, ICMEC recognised the need to gain a better understanding of the global legislative landscape as it related to child pornography. After careful consideration and consultation, it developed model legislation in an effort to increase global understanding and concern, and enable governments around the world to adopt and enact appropriate legislation necessary to combat this crime and better protect children. Since ICMEC first published this report in 2006, 127 countries have refined or implemented new anti-child pornography legislation. While a positive trend, there is a critical need for continued efforts, as this report demonstrates.

This report is particularly relevant for INHOPE in light of joint stakeholder efforts aimed at influencing legislation internationally to advance global deterrence efforts. This means joining and strengthening political efforts (Global Alliance, WePROTECT) to engage and mobilise countries in the fight against CSAM (child sexual abuse material), with a particular emphasis on countries with no existing or adequate legislation.

Visit the ICMEC website at http://www.icmec.org and access the full report here.