As part of a global campaign by The Body Shop International to raise awareness about trafficking of children and young adolescents, the Body Shop Malta has collected 14, 107 customer signatures to petition government to establish a Sex Offenders Register.

Last year Malta became the seventh EU member state to ratify the Council of Europe Convention for the protection of children, putting the island well ahead of many other member states in the institution of legislative measures necessary to conform with European policies.

In an interview with CNN yesterday, Family Minister Dolores Cristina said that the formation of the Sex Offenders Register was at an advanced stage and that its format was going to be based on the UK model. She said it would soon be moved for Parliament's approval.

The CNN interview was organised by The Body Shop Malta and communication students at university.

Body Shop Malta director Simone Mizzi said customers, being generally mothers of young children, were most eager to support this campaign.

She said it was the intention of the Body Shops in Malta to continue to campaign for tighter laws on the abuse of the internet as this reflected the growing concerns of so many families whose young children were at risk from unprotected exposure to pornographic material and grooming networks.

Following the event, team leaders from The Body Shop stores walked to the Barrakka Gardens where the group celebrated the success and took commemorative pictures whilst raising more awareness of the campaign to onlookers and the general public.