The risks that children face are becoming increasingly complex, often facilitated by the internet and crossing international borders. At the core of protections for children are comprehensive and effective legal frameworks which uphold the rights of children.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) established a Regional Plan of Action for Protection of Children from All Forms of Online Abuse and Exploitation in February 2022. The first focus area is a stated commitment to “promote, develop, and implement comprehensive national legal frameworks in each ASEAN Member State and work towards improving child protection standards and policies on all forms of online exploitation and abuse across ASEAN Member States”.
ICMEC and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer have published a comparative overview and analysis of the current legislative framework for the protection of children against sexual exploitation and abuse across the ASEAN region. We hope this report will be an essential reference as we work to collectively promote, develop, and implement comprehensive national legal frameworks and improve child protection standards and policies on all forms of online exploitation and abuse across ASEAN Member States.
The report includes a review of:
- Current laws covering sexual offences
- Gender-specific laws
- Reporting obligations
- Penalties and sentencing
- Defences to sexual offences
- Registration of child sex offenders
- Domestic laws in an international context
- International conventions