Take Action!

No matter where we are in the world, we each have a responsibility towards children, especially in keeping them safe from exploitation and abuse.

There are several simple actions you can take to create safer environments for children.

Business

Children are especially vulnerable to trafficking and sexual exploitation.

The travel and tourism industry has enormous power and potential to help make destinations,
services and infrastructure safer for children.

Commit to ending the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism by joining over 300 members in implementing the six criteria of The Code.

Gain access to tools and support, join global leaders and create a child safe business that attracts responsible customers.

Start here.

Create a positive impact on the lives of children by making a donation to The Code.

Donate here.

Provide your staff with child protection training so that they know how to identify and report any suspicious situations to prevent child sexual exploitation.

Implement policies and procedures to prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation.

A written client-facing policy makes it unequivocal that your company will not tolerate child abuse and exploitation. It should be simple, practical and achievable, with clear processes to prevent and respond to abuse. Most importantly, your policy should not just be words on paper – but a set of guidelines which are actively followed by all managers and staff.

Members of The Code gain access to free online training for all their staff and advice on how to create and implement child protection policies and procedures. 

Many people know about child sexual exploitation, but often feel helpless about how they can help. However, our small actions can make a big difference.

Spread the word and create awareness about the sexual exploitation of children so that your employees, clients and stakeholders know what action they can take.

Start or support a campaign, spread the word on social media, share resources with your clients and customers and or create partnerships with civil society organisations to raise awareness.

The Global Study is a collective effort of 67 partners from across the world and sectors that brings together the largest bank of information ever compiled on the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism.

Travel, tourism and transportation companies (spanning both the public and private sectors)

  • Sign the UNWTO Code of Ethics
  • Ensure compliance with Human Rights and Business Principles and Children’s Rights and Business Principles
  • Become a member of The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism or – at a minimum – adopt and enforce explicit corporate policies against SECTT and prioritise training on SECTT prevention and response for travel and tourism professionals
  • Seek to ensure that small and medium-size firms and the informal travel and tourism sector are aware of the issue and adhere to a code of conduct to prevent SECTT
  • Build the awareness and understanding of other sectors, such as businesses with travelling staff and the extractive industries
  • Ensure that organisations that receive volunteers have adequate child protection systems in place to guarantee the
    safety of children, including international police clearances, reporting mechanisms and a code of conduct. Similarly,
    develop codes of conduct for national and international employees and volunteers in contact with children and
    ensure police clearances
  • Raise awareness about SECTT among travellers and tourists
  • Cooperate with, and report to law enforcement

 

ICT industry

  • Engage and mobilise industry leaders to develop technology-based solutions to combat SECTT such as blocking payment for SECTT-related offences and developing new techniques to ‘follow the money’ and undermine the
    business model of SECTT offenders and their intermediaries
  • Collaborate with other ICT companies and law enforcement agencies to disrupt financial gains for offenders, criminal networks and intermediaries and to develop analytical tools and new investigative techniques to enable
    law enforcement to identify perpetrators and rescue victims
  • Ensure compliance with Human Rights and Business Principles and Children’s Rights and Business Principles
  • Adopt and enforce explicit corporate policies against SECTT

 

Companies whose staff members travel for business

All companies sending employees on business travel have a role to play in educating their employees on conduct that is acceptable or unacceptable and the importance of protecting children against SECTT.

  • Undertake travel with child safe travel and tourism businesses, preferably members of the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism or – at a minimum – with business that have adopted and enforce explicit corporate policies against SECTT and prioritise training on SECTT prevention and
    response for travel and tourism professionals
  • Ensure compliance with Human Rights and Business Principles and Children’s Rights and Business Principles
  • Adopt and implement a code of conduct for travelling employees
  • Ensure police clearances if staff are going to be in contact with children during their business travel

Read more about the Global Study recommendations here.

Did you know?

Since 2013, members of The Code have trained:

Not for profits

Partnerships between civil society organisations and the private sector have the potential to bring global attention and aid in the fight to eliminate the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism.

The Global Study is a collective effort of 67 partners from across the world and sectors that brings together the largest
bank of information ever compiled on the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT).

NGOs can play a key role by monitoring the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism and bridging gaps left by national governments.

  • Expose companies that advertise commercial sex with children with a particular focus on online advertisement
  • Raise public awareness about SECTT and the role citizens, including children can play in its prevention
  • Identify and document best practice models in SECTT prevention and care
  • Provide high-quality recovery and rehabilitation services for SECTT victims where governments do not provide
    such services
  • Build partnerships and capacity within the tourism industry to recognise and address incidents of SECTT
  • Develop codes of conduct and child protection policies for (national and international) employees and volunteers
    who come into contact with children and ensure police clearances
  • Undertake more research on SECTT to inform policy and action

Read more about the Global Study recommendations here.

We are represented around the globe by local organisations who provide local support to the travel and tourism industry to implement the six criteria of The Code. We call these our Local Code Representatives.

We are always looking to expand our reach across the world to keep children safe. 

Is your organisation interested to learn more? Contact us here.

Travellers

Our actions impact the lives of children no matter where we travel.

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