This page aims to support your actions and efforts to address the risks and harmful impacts on children worldwide.
In this hub, professional and regulated volunteering is distinguished from voluntourism which refers to products offered through the travel market usually for unskilled volunteers that pay companies, or other entities to travel and work in distant communities, as an attractive alternative to mass tourism.
Although volunteers may have good intentions, such trips may negatively affect the well-being of children, with certain forms of voluntourism posing additional risks to their safety by providing avenues for offenders to groom, access, and sexually exploit children.
There is a need to regulate the use of volunteers in all settings with direct contact with children, to ensure that children are protected and that any activities serve the best interest of the child.
On this page, you will find resources, case studies and videos from partner organisations, and communications materials developed specifically to help you activate this topic in your country or region.
For any questions, please contact us at communications@ecpat.org.
Social media plays a powerful role in generating awareness and interest on the issue of voluntourism, for both tourists as well as travel and tourism operators. We have prepared the following materials to help you get started on your journey of making the tourism responsible and safe for children:
Tune in to video contributions from ECPAT members and partners from ECPAT’s Regional Workshops on Collective Action to End Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
These interviews showcase the risks associated with unregulated voluntourism across various countries, and how children can be protected from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism.
Interested in being part of the global movement to make tourism safe for children? Contact us to submit your video contribution.
Access key resources from the ECPAT network, including country reports, case studies, and more. Let us know if you have promising practices to share from your country to be part of change!
Taking action following the two Global Events organised around the UN General Assembly 2023 in New York
ECPAT International, Defence for Children – ECPAT Netherlands, Better Care Network Netherlands
Read more about the critical work ECPAT partners and members are undertaking to regulate the issue of voluntourism in their respective countries and regions—Coming soon!
