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mechanisms of each state since domestic law differs from country to country. Alternatively,certain states could be chosen for the purposes of analysis and then an extrapolation of theresults from local to global could take place. For the purposes of this research the emphasiswill be placed on the application of international law directly to private sector operationsinside a given state, thereby bypassing the domestic legislative scheme.2.3 International Laws against CSECCurrently there is no one piece of international law protecting children from CSEC inall its forms. Rather, there are a series of conventions, treaties and declarations of variousjudicial authorities that make reference to child protection and the criminalisation of sexualcrimes against children.The CRC was ratified in November 1989 and came into force in September 1990.Currently, there are 191 states that are party to the CRC. It is the first binding internationalinstrument setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children,defined as individuals below the age of 18. 51The CRC covers all aspects of the child’s wellbeing, recognising that children have aninherent right to life and survival, to an identity, to a nationality, to be heard, to freedom ofthought, conscience and religion, to health, and to an education. In the context of commercialsexual exploitation, the CRC contains direct obligations by states to protect childrenfrom all forms of sexual exploitation, including child prostitution, child pornography andtrafficking, pursuant to Articles 34 through 35.The Committee on the Rights of the Child, established under Article 43(1), examines theprogress made by State Parties in achieving the realisation of the obligations undertakenin the Convention, thereby determining which rights fall under the language of theConvention. Pursuant to Article 44, the Committee considers reports submitted by statesand publishes concluding observations with general recommendations as to how states canimprove the condition of children in their countries.The Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography 52 is thefirst of two Optional Protocols to the CRC to enter into force. It has been ratified by 43countries, signed by 105 countries, and entered into force in January 2002. The Protocolexpressly prohibits the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and is thefirst international instrument to define these terms. 53 Accordingly, the Protocol requiresthese offences to be treated as criminal acts. The Protocol requires states parties to, inter20|Private Sector Accountability in Combating the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children