A bill concerning SECTT has been brought before the Irish parliament by Independent MP Maureen O’Sullivan in an effort to curtail incidences of convicted sex offenders travelling abroad to sexually exploit children. Just as in the US and Australia, convicted paedophiles would have to seek permission from a judge in order to travel abroad. O’Sullivan […]

ECPAT has congratulated the Government of Malaysia for recent changes to the law that increased penalties for the sexual exploitation of children. But it has also warned officials there that more needs to be done to protect children, especially from sexual exploitation in the travel and tourism industry. Dorothy Rozga, Executive Director of ECPAT International, […]

PEaCE /ECPAT Sri Lanka organized a national multi-stakeholders consultation on “Advancing Responsible Business Practices for Child Protection from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism” on December 12 in Colombo. The Consultation was conducted in association with institutions/organizations such as Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Police, ECPAT International, International Labour Organisation (ILO), South Asia […]

In an example of The Code’s training being put to use, Volaris’ staff were successful in identifying a case of child sex trafficking on Wednesday 7th February. The authorities at General Francisco J. Mujica International Airport had been notified that a 14-year-old girl had been contacted by strangers via social media networks, and was in […]

Friends International have announced the launch of the ChildSafe Movement in Bali, with the support of Buffalo Tours they will together raise awareness of child protection among all tourism stakeholders. The ChildSafe Movement is an award-winning global movement protecting children from all forms of abuse, and it was launched in Bali with the support of […]

On the day she met Marcus Thompson, the girl later told the FBI, she had been ready to leap from a bridge to end her life. She was only 15, pregnant and alone on the streets. And in this wounded child, Thompson saw a means to make money. He promised that if she left her […]

In the last few days of Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, ECPAT-USA has announced the signing of Marriott International and Uber USA to The Code. “Everyone has a role in fighting human trafficking and preventing child sexual exploitation,” said David Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Marriott International. “At Marriott […]

In an important step forward for private sector engagement, eight tourism companies have announced their commitment to the UNTWO Global Code of Ethics in an effort to promote sustainable and responsible tourism. The Code of Ethics was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001 and represents a roadmap to guide actions towards responsible […]

Recognising the strategic role that airlines can play in combatting human trafficking, the third most lucrative crime in the world, the OHCHR and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) are working together to develop guidelines for airline operators to train cabin crews in identifying and reporting trafficked individuals. “Cabin crewmembers are in a unique situation where […]

As 2018 is welcomed by the White House continuing to proclaim January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, 2017 provided some positive news in relation to the protection of children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism. Last November, the U.S State Department began a policy of revoking the passports of convicted child sex offenders […]