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Announcement of the Global Study on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism

Posted on Oct 2, 2014

With the long term objective to stop Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism, the Global Study will provide evidence-based knowledge to guide effective decision-making.

More specifically, the Global Study will:

  • provide a global and updated picture of sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism, including an analysis of emerging trends and new developments
  • provide, where possible and available, statistical data and figures on child victims and travelling sex offenders, including quantitative trends
  • map and assess current responses to the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism, including legislation, sensitisation campaigns, capacity building and a range of measures and interventions by different stakeholders to address this challenge
  • propose a set of recommendations to improve government, non-government and private sector responses to the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism

The Global Study will lead to an overall global report and stand-alone regional reports. The Global Study reports will be disseminated through an independent website.

Eight eminent members have confirmed their membership of the High-Level Taskforce to provide oversight to the Global Study and mobilise commitment to action to end Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism:

Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid
Chair | Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Morocco

Marilyn Carlson Nelson
Member | Former Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Carlson, a global travel and hospitality company headquartered in Minneapolis, USA

Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen
Member | National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children, The Netherlands

Jean-Cyril Spinetta
Member | Former Chief Executive Officer of Air France-KLM SA, France

Ernie Allen
Member | Former President and CEO of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), USA

Dr. Benyam Dawit Mezmur
Member | Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Vice-Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), Ethiopia

Dr. Taleb Rifai
Member | Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) based in Madrid, Spain

Milena Grillo
ECPAT Representative | Executive Director of Fundación Paniamor, Costa Rica

Activities are funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs through funding specifically for the Global Study and by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Oak Foundation and Irish Aid through core-funding to ECPAT International.