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Summary: The 21st Meeting of the Task Force took place yesterday in London and featured a special session on successfull strategies and good practicies against sexual exploitation of children in tourism (SECT). As well, as a reporting session on the reports and actions taken to protect children from exploitation and abuse in tourism.
[LONDON, 13 November 2007] - The 21st Meeting of the Task Force to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Tourism took place in London this week. It featured a special session on successful strategies and good practices to combat sexual exploitation of children in tourism (SECT), and a reporting session on the action taken so far. David de Villiers opened the session by citing the two major problems facing SECT: the expansion of the internet and the increased number of people travelling abroad; He added the Task Force should consider a broader focus because the issue is not just about sexual exploitation, but all exploitation of children. For example, child labour can lead to sexual exploitation. Mr de Villiers closed by drawing attention to the global Code of Ethics for tourism, which was designed for those involved in the sector. Ruth Allen, of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), spoke about law enforcement in Cambodia and how CEOP has been developing training techniques with the Cambodian Police Academy and other authorities. CEOP wants to develop this model for use in other countries. Anita Dodds, the ASEAN Regional Task Force Coordinator, works with 10 different law enforcement agencies in the ASEAN region. She said:" A country like Cambodia is developing its tourist sector, but the emphasis should be on quality tourism". ASEAN Regional Task force members meet once a year to discuss regional actions to combact SECT. They build a regional plan of action. She added: "Offenders are not just tourists; some are living in the region". Another speaker, Hamish Mc Culloch, Project and Technical Advisor for INTERPOL, reminded the audience that action would not be taken unless it could be established where the victim was from. INTERPOL examines photographs to determine places of origin. This process has led to several convictions and children being rescued. Cheryl Perera, President and Founder of One Child Canada, who has worked in Sri Lanka on undercover operations, said: "Children can't just be talked about, they need to be listened to". She founded One Child Canada, an NGO committed to fighting the global sex trade in children. Her organisation is driven by children and youth. They have made a video about child abuse, which has been screened on Air Canada international flights since 2005. The next consultative meeting of the Task Force will be held in Berlin at the end of the month. About the Task Force The Task Force to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Tourism is a Global action platform of tourism-related key players from the government and the tourism industry sectors, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, and media associations whose aim is to prevent, uncover, isolate and eradicate the sexual exploitation of children in tourism (SECT). It is an open-ended network, which was established by the World Tourism Organisation in 1997 as a follow-up to the Stockholm Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.