The background paper first defines the following key terms used to discuss the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC): child, child pornography, child prostitution, commercial sexual exploitation of children, sex exploiter, sexual solicitation, sex tourism, and trafficking of children for commercial sexual exploitation. The background paper then provides an overview of the nature of and responses to the CSEC in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the three countries represented in the Regional Consultation. Topics addressed for each of the countries include profiles of the exploited children; profiles of the exploiters; trafficking; national legislation that pertains to the CSEC; law enforcement; prevention, protection, and recovery programs; child pornography; and the role and involvement of the private sector. Current and proposed solutions for the CSEC in the three countries are also summarized. The second paper in this report provides an overview of the proceedings and recommendations of the Consultation. The goals of the Consultation were to identify the nature and extent of CSEC in Canada, Mexico, and the United States; to identify regional aspects of the CSEC, particularly intraregional patterns of traffickers for both source and destination countries; to develop a framework for national and regional strategies to combat the CSEC; and to obtain contributions for the Second World Congress Against CSEC. The Consultation was composed of 5 plenaries and 19 "breakout" sessions on specific topics. Separate analyses and recommendations were developed for each of the three countries represented at the Consultation. 142 notes and 41 references