A global call for robust child protection structures in travel and tourism

On 10 and 12 October 2023, global leaders, advocates, and experts convened to unpack two UN reports on child protection in travel and tourism to innovate, collaborate, and create solutions for child protection in travel, tourism, online, and finance contexts. 

Organised by ECPAT International, PACT – Protect All Children from Trafficking, the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, the dialogues aimed at placing child protection at the core of sustainable development and reshaping voluntourism practices. 

The events marked a significant step towards implementing international standards and policies, including the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. 

Read a recap of the events and explore more resources below: 

10 October: A closer look at the phenomena of voluntourism

Based on the UN Special Rapporteur’s report findings on the sale and sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism, with a closer look at the phenomena of voluntourism, the event brought together a diverse group of global authorities and advocates to call for responsible and regulated voluntourism practices. 

Event Highlights: 

Opening Remarks by Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh: Presenting the UN report on the exploitation and sexual abuse of children in the context of travel and tourism, with a specific focus on the phenomena of voluntourism. 

Roundtable Discussion: Analysing the UN report’s findings and formulating recommendations for regulating voluntourism, including stopping orphanage tourism. 

Action: Collaborative strategies to elevate global, regional and country-level strategies, drawing from best practices and practical experiences. 

Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh emphasised the urgent need for collective action to regulate harmful forms of voluntourism through due diligence measures and “do no harm” policies and practices so children are not exploited for profit in the travel and tourism industry. Guillaume Landry of ECPAT International called for a global commitment to create sustainable travel and tourism – where voluntourism is regulated and children are protected. Lori Cohen of PACT stressed the importance of turning recommendations into actions for a world free of child exploitation. 

Other recommendations from the report include: 

• Support the redirection of private and public funding away from orphanages and alternative care facilities towards prevention of separation services, family-based care and critical aftercare services for young people in exiting care; 
• Work with intermediaries and partners from the sector developing voluntourism “products” and “packages” to closely regulate their operation and elaborate measures for the prevention of the commodification of children; 
• Create a regulated system of volunteering and conduct thorough background checks on volunteers and provide training and support to ensure that they understand and respect the rights of children; 
• Strengthen existing laws to address all forms of exploitation of children, including the sale, sexual abuse and trafficking of children in travel and tourism.  
• All stakeholders – including international and regional bodies, the private sector, civil society, community actors, should work together to address and respond to the phenomena of voluntourism as part of sustainable and responsible tourism development.  

Watch the event highlights below:

12 October: Protecting children in travel and tourism

This crucial event, aligned with the launch of the UN report by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (SRSG VAC) at the UN General Assembly 2023, engaged experts, business leaders, government representatives, and child advocates in a collaborative effort to place child protection at the core of sustainable development. 

The event focused on three thematic areas, with participants sharing evidence-based practices and discussing actionable strategies in three panels: 

1. Children’s perspectives on sustainable development in tourism 
2. Travel & Transportation Industry’s Role in preventing child exploitation 
3. Engagement of the Financial Sector in child and gender-sensitive protection mechanisms 

Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid highlighted the need for developing sustainable tourism with child protection at its core. Guillaume Landry of ECPAT International emphasised the necessity of direct engagement with children and a multisectoral approach for real progress. Lori Cohen of PACT and Oscar Valverde of Fundación Paniamor echoed the importance of elevating youth voices and ensuring children’s safety in tourism development. Speakers also called to step up action and the role of the transportation industry and for more assertive action by the financial sector to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 

Watch the event highlights below:

ECPAT International, in collaboration with two of its member organisations, Fundación Paniamor in Costa Rica and Fundación Quitu Raymi in Ecuador, implemented a pilot project “Building sustainable tourism destinations that protect children from sexual exploitation”. This project enabled children to not only discuss and explore the impact of tourism developments on children and their communities, but it also gave them an opportunity to provide recommendations and develop their own actions to prevent child sexual exploitation. The children also advocated for better policies and interventions from the government and businesses to protect children with the aim of building truly sustainable tourism destinations.

Watch the documentary video and process video developed collaboratively with children to build sustainable tourism destinations.

The following videos were submitted as independent contributions to the event organised by ECPAT International, PACT, and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children – Building on the findings and recommendations from the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children Report to the UN General Assembly on child protection in travel and tourism held on 12th October 2023.

Engaging with Children to Strengthen Sustainable Tourism Strategies that Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation

This resource is intended for governments, businesses and civil society organisations who are working on sustainable tourism and child rights.

The briefing paper provides those working in the tourism sector with an overview of:

• What child sexual exploitation is
• Why preventing and responding to child sexual exploitation in travel and tourism is important
• How collaborating with civil society organisations working with children can help tourism authorities and businesses understand children’s perspectives on tourism
• What governments and businesses need to think about when planning to hear from children.

The toolkit is designed for civil society organisations who may wish to:

• Engage children in activities to explore the impact of tourism in the local community
• Plan and undertake actions to inform and influence the tourism industry

These events mark a crucial juncture in the international commitment to child protection in travel and tourism.

For media inquiries, please contact: 

• ECPAT International: Andrew Beaton, Head of Communications, communications@ecpat.org 
• PACT USA: Cécile Kirwan, Head of Communications,  ckirwan@wearepact.org
• Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children: Team supporting the mandate on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, hrc-sr-saleofchildren@un.org
• Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children: Miguel Caldeira, Communication Officer, caldeira1@un.org