There is increasing concern on a global scale of the phenomenon of the sale of children, the many diverse forms of trafficking, and both the commercial and non-commercial sexual exploitation of children. These abuses constitute some of the worst human rights violations. They compromise the healthy development of children and their access to the full enjoyment of all their rights, and increase violence at all levels of society, producing long-term damaging effects on the victims. Governments, private organizations, and civil society in general need to be sensitized to the necessity of preventing the sale and exploitation of children through the development of mechanisms to prevent, detect, denounce, and prosecute such abuses. Innovative programs and social intervention are needed to help the victims. A web site will be created with information about theses concerns and how individuals and organizations can report relevant violations. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child was entered into force on January 18, 2002, forming the foundation for determining and developing the scope of this mandate. Communications were sent to Guatemala concerning the threat and intimidation of a human rights worker assisting street children, and to Sri Lanka regarding violence against women. The two governments were warned about the consequences of human rights violations. The International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights were published in February 1998, offering a tool for states in designing, coordinating, and implementing practical and effective national HIV/AIDS policies and strategies. These are based on three approaches: increasing awareness of the human rights principles underlying a positive response to HIV/AIDS; providing action-oriented measures to be used by governments in the areas of law, administrative policy and practice; and increasing private sector and community participation in the response to HIV/AIDS.