This study on the commercial sexual exploitation of children in Lao PDR was commissioned through a joint collaboration between the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, UNICEF Lao PDR, UNIAP, Save the Children and World Vision in a effort to gain a better understanding to inform and guide national action on this issue. While CSEC has been identified as a child protection issue in Lao PDR, little qualitative or quantitative information or evidence exists on the current status or emerging manifestations, scale and scope of this phenomenon. Recent economic and social change have impacted the dynamics of CSEC in Lao PDR, particularly with regard to new forms such as child pornography and child sex tourism that have appeared since the first study on this issue was conducted in 2002. Given the illegal and hidden nature of the commercial sexual exploitation of children, it is difficult to obtain accurate information on the number of child victims. The objective of this study was to develop a picture of the different forms of CSEC that exist in Lao PDR and document current manifestations in order to guide future policy. To achieve this, the research process utilized a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including analysis of existing data on CSEC, semi-structured interviews with key informants both at the policy level and involved in front-line work on CSEC, observation of high-risk locations, as well as focus group discussions with communities affected by CSEC.