Global Authorities and Advocates Unite to Call for Action to Regulate Voluntourism as Part of Child Protection Standards for the Travel and Tourism Industry

Location: 209 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York, 10th October 2023
Information about the event: https://ecpat.org/global-events-in-new-york

New York, USA – ECPAT International, PACT – Protect All Children from Trafficking, and Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh, the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children are convening a critical panel discussion to build upon the UN Special Rapporteur’s report findings and recommendations related to the phenomena of voluntourism.

Key stakeholders, including representatives of governments, private sector leaders, and civil society organisations, unite to share strategies, practices, and collective actions to regulate voluntourism by both sending and receiving countries.

Speakers and Panel Highlights:

Opening Remarks: Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh, the UN Special Rapporteur, will present the report – A study on the exploitation and sexual abuse of children in the context of travel and tourism; a closer look at the phenomena of voluntourism.
Roundtable Discussion: A detailed analysis of the findings, recommendations, and evidence-based practices on regulating various forms of voluntourism, including orphanage tourism.
Action Planning: Focused collaboration to elevate collective action, drawing upon existing practices and first-hand experiences.

Quotes from Conveners:

Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh, the UN Special Rapporteur: “We are at a crucial point where we must decide how far we are ready to go to keep children safe. This event highlights the importance of collaboration amongst all stakeholders to effectively regulate those forms of voluntourism that negatively affect children, with the aim of shaping a future free from the exploitation and sexual abuse of children.”
Guillaume Landry, Executive Director, ECPAT International: “A child’s well-being is the shared responsibility of governments, business, and communities. This gathering calls for a global resolve, commitment, and dedication to create sustainable travel and tourism – where voluntourism is regulated and children are protected.”
Lori Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, PACT: “Our shared effort in convening this panel represents a united front to ending child exploitation. Together, we can transform recommendations into measurable actions and ensure that every child enjoys a life free from trafficking and all forms of exploitation.”

The event is a pivotal stride towards achieving international standards and policies, including the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

About ECPAT International: ECPAT International stands as a united front of 126 civil society organisations spread across over 100 nations, each passionately committed to the shared vision of eradicating the sexual exploitation of children. Harnessing the power of over three decades of experience in multi-stakeholder engagement and partnership management, our expansive network operates on national, regional, and global levels. We relentlessly drive forward, fueled by the conviction that every child deserves a world free from sexual exploitation, visit www.ecpat.org.

About PACT: PACT is the leading anti-child trafficking organization in the United States seeking to end child sexual exploitation and trafficking through education, partnerships, and legislative advocacy. PACT is a member of ECPAT International, a global network with one common mission: to eliminate the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children around the world. For more information, visit WeArePACT.org.

About the UN Special Rapporteur: The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children is mandated to analyse the root causes of sale and sexual exploitation of children, identify new patterns of the phenomena, exchange good practices to combat it, promote measures to prevent it, and make recommendations for the rehabilitation of child victims of sale and sexual exploitation, visit www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-sale-of-children.

UN expert calls for robust child protection structures to stem unregulated and unskilled voluntourism | OHCHR

ECPAT International Media Contact: Andrew Beaton, Head of Communications, communications@ecpat.org

PACT Media Contact: Cécile Kirwan, Director of Communications, ckirwan@WeArePACT.org

UN Media Contact: Team supporting the mandate on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, hrc-sr-saleofchildren@un.org