“Act”-ing for Children’s Welfare

Rep. Karen Bass

As the popularity of human trafficking grows through supply and demand, governmental and non-governmental efforts to end it also grow. Through such efforts, a link has been found between the welfare system and human trafficking, particularly when it comes to children. Yet, there seems to be a lack of data, research and legislation on these incidents.

One new piece of legislation is on its way to providing a solution for this problem: the Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Human Trafficking Act of 2011, or H.R. 2730. Introduced to the House of representatives in 2011, this bill is sponsored by Representative Karen Bass of California, and has 21 co-sponsors.

Some of the goals that H.R. 2730 seeks to accomplish include:

• Guidelines for training child welfare and court employees in "identifying, educating, and counseling children at risk...or who are human trafficking victims who may be in the care of the child welfare system."
• Guidelines with recommendations on "how state child welfare agencies may prevent children from becoming victims of trafficking."
• Recommendations on "[updating] licensing requirements...so that...residential facilities or safe havens serving children who are trafficking victims can qualify as childcare institutions."
• Requiring state [Foster Care and Adoption Assistance] plans to make child welfare agencies classify children receiving assistance for trafficking, reasons for classification, information on each child, and immediate reporting to law enforcement the identity of missing or abducted children receiving assistance.

Non-profit organizations like Safe Horizon are doing what they can to increase the number of supporters. Safe Horizon, which provides support and services for victims of violence and abuse, is the largest victims' service agency in the U.S. Other supporters include Shared Hope International, ECPAT, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST), and Courtney's House, a partner of the Bridge to Freedom Foundation (BTFF).

Where is the bill now? It has been referred to the Subcommitee on Human Resources. Afterward, it'll make its way to the Senate, then hopefully to the President where it will oficially become a bill!

What can you do? Find out who your representative is and call or write a letter to him or her encouraging them to support H.R. 2730. You can also sign the letter to support H.R. 2730 via Safe Horizon.

By Whitney Joseph

The Code: Up to Par?

Earlier this month, End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT) revealed that Real Hospitality Group (RHG) became the first hotel management company in the US to sign the Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, otherwise known as "The Code."  The Code, the result of years of international cooperation to comba t child sexual exploitation in the tourism industry, is a set of regulations that supports responsible tourism and efforts to eradicate commercial sexual exploitation of children. All participating companies must keep the following six criteria

1. To establish an ethical policy regarding commercial sexual exploitation of children.
2. To train the personnel in the country of origin and travel destinations.
3. To introduce a clause in contracts with suppliers, stating a common repudiation of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
4. To provide information to travelers by means of catalogues, brochures, in-flight films, ticket-slips, home pages, etc.
5. To provide information to local "key persons" at the destinations.
6. To report annually.

Well known companies such as Hilton, Delta and Carson are already on the list that comply with these regulations.  In 2004, Carlson became the first North American tourism company to provide a training kit for all staff with visual real-life scenario tools that could help them identify a victim if they encounter a situation of sexual exploitation.  The Code has been implemented in similar fashions in 960 tourism companies and in more than 40 countries

Although ECPAT considers it a "win" that certain industries, mainly hotels and tour operators, recognize the demand for the sexual exploitation of children does in fact undermine sustainable tourism, the organization also recognizes that the Code has a long way to go in putting an end to this issue within the tourism sector.  In 2006, it was estimated that there were 846 million international arrival and 4 billion domestic trips taken.  The Code has been effective in implementing some training and providing public awareness materials, but the issue of demand has still not been confronted and the switch to electronic booking has made traveling completely anonymous.  The battle over this issue must not only be embraced by the tourism community, but also by local, national and international governing bodies.  The Code is the largest voluntary step that can be taken to eradicate commercial sexual exploitation of children, but this standard needs to move from being a voluntary action to one of corporate responsibility.  To learn more about how you can be a part of that change and help create a sustainable, responsible tourism industry please click here.