Three Cambodian children traveled to Brazil Friday and will begin a weeklong conference on sexual exploitation Tuesday, an organizer said.
The two boys, Ul Sopheak, 17, and Kul Kakda, 16, traveled with a girl, Sovann Puthynanarak, 17, sponsored by World Vision for the World Congress III Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents.
The three will share experiences with youths from other countries to highlight the dangers of sexual exploitation.
“Those children will express their opinions and views and recommendations on sexual exploitation issues,” said Bung Ying, a World Vision spokesman.
Cambodian participants will also include representatives from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and other non-governmental organizations.
Sexual exploitation against children mostly occurs in poor countries like Cambodia, Van Sophath, who works on child rights for Licadho, said Monday.
“Because in Cambodia...when there is poverty, children and the families of the children need money,” he said. “It is easy for a foreigner who visits Cambodia, when they want to have sex with children, they use money.”
Licadho has received reports of around 50 cases of child sex trafficking around the country so far this year, he said.
Cambodia is working to eliminate its reputation as a destination for sex tourists and pedophiles, and police say the number of cases declined in Phnom Penh this year.
Russian businessman Alexander Trofimov, who has been found guilty of at least one count of pedophilia, was set to begin another trial in Sihanoukville this week.