Nearly 3,000 participants from over 125 countries have gathered in Rio de Janeiro today for a three-day United Nations-backed congress to combat the increasing scourge of sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in all its dimensions, ranging from of trafficking, pornography and prostitution to rape and abuse.

The United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations today called for continued efforts to formulate measures against sexual exploitation and abuse involving countries contributing troops to the world body's missions.

As part of further efforts by the United Nations to enforce its “zero tolerance” policy for sexual exploitation and abuse, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has put forward a draft strategy on assistance and support to victims of such behaviour by UN staff and related personnel, including recommendations for medical care and child maintenance.

Upgrading the drive to eliminate sexual abuse by peacekeepers following reports over the past year and a half of peacekeepers exploiting vulnerable women and girls in their area of deployment, eight United Nations missions have been ordered to immediately establish disciplinary units staffed by senior-level experts on personnel conduct.