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Johannesburg – Three days ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup kick-off, local tourist organisations, together with several leading hotels groups and car hire companies, have signed a child protection code of conduct.
The international Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, aimed at preventing the commercial sexual exploitation of children, was launched in Johannesburg on Tuesday by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA).
In a statement, the organisation said that among those who had endorsed the code were the national department of tourism, and SA Tourism.
"The significant commitment by 14 private sector tourism and hospitality signatories at today's event signals that the code is rapidly building up a strong support base in South Africa," FTTSA said.
The signing was linked to a wider national campaign to protect children during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
"The code is being rolled out in South African tourism as a means of raising awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and building capacity within the sector to prevent abuse and report offenders.”
Commercial sexual exploitation
Such child sex tourism was defined as "the commercial sexual exploitation of children by men or women who travel from one place to another, usually from a richer country to one that is less developed and there engage in sexual acts with children".
While this was not strongly associated with South Africa as a tourist destination, high poverty levels and growing inequality suggested that tens of thousands of children in the country were at risk of sexual and other forms of exploitation.
"Domestic as well as foreign tourists may knowingly or unknowingly become involved in child exploitation, for example by transacting sex with an underage sex worker, or buying goods from a trader exploiting child labour."
FTTSA said the code was endorsed by the UN World Tourism Organisation and many national governments.
Among other things, it calls on signatories to introduce clauses in contracts with suppliers, stating a common repudiation of sexual exploitation of children, and providing information to local "key persons" at tourism destinations.
The international Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, aimed at preventing the commercial sexual exploitation of children, was launched in Johannesburg on Tuesday by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA).
In a statement, the organisation said that among those who had endorsed the code were the national department of tourism, and SA Tourism.
"The significant commitment by 14 private sector tourism and hospitality signatories at today's event signals that the code is rapidly building up a strong support base in South Africa," FTTSA said.
The signing was linked to a wider national campaign to protect children during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
"The code is being rolled out in South African tourism as a means of raising awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and building capacity within the sector to prevent abuse and report offenders.”
Commercial sexual exploitation
Such child sex tourism was defined as "the commercial sexual exploitation of children by men or women who travel from one place to another, usually from a richer country to one that is less developed and there engage in sexual acts with children".
While this was not strongly associated with South Africa as a tourist destination, high poverty levels and growing inequality suggested that tens of thousands of children in the country were at risk of sexual and other forms of exploitation.
"Domestic as well as foreign tourists may knowingly or unknowingly become involved in child exploitation, for example by transacting sex with an underage sex worker, or buying goods from a trader exploiting child labour."
FTTSA said the code was endorsed by the UN World Tourism Organisation and many national governments.
Among other things, it calls on signatories to introduce clauses in contracts with suppliers, stating a common repudiation of sexual exploitation of children, and providing information to local "key persons" at tourism destinations.
