Romania
Public-Private Co-operation in the Prevention of Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Minors in Travel and Tourism Industry
Save the Children Romania, in partnership with the Institute for Crime Research and Prevention, Romanian Hotel Industry Federation and the National Association of Tourism Agencies are carrying out the project “Public-Private Co-operation in the Prevention of Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Minors in Travel and Tourism Industry” .
The aim of the project, which is supported by OSCE and Austrian Development Cooperation, through the non-governmental organization “respect” – Institut für Integrativen Tourismus und Entwicklung (Institute fir Integrative Tourism and Development) Austria, is to contribute to combating trafficking in and sexual exploitation of children in Romania by having the travel, tourism and hospitality industry operating in Romania adopt and implement the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism (Code of Conduct) in order to:
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Prevent against the sexual exploitation of children in Romania by enhancing and streamlining the commitment of companies operating in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries to take action and support multi-sectoral efforts to combat the problem.
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Increase the public awareness of the global problem of sexual exploitation and trafficking of children by educating tourists and travelers to, from and within Romania.
Trafficking in women and girls is a serious problem in Romania. Women and girls are not only sold abroad to work in brothels but also forced to work as prostitutes in Romania. Therefore, combating trafficking and sexual exploitation of children needs the support and co-operation of all relevant actors in Romania: the public authorities, the NGO/civil society sector and the private sector. In particular, the travel, tourism and hospitality industry has a great potential to contribute to the fight against sexual exploitation of children by increasing the awareness of foreign and domestic tourists and travelers of this global problem and creating an environment that does not accept prostitution of minors.
The organizations implementing the project are promoting the adoption of the Code among the country's travel and tourism industry and other stakeholders as a multi-sectoral effort to raise awareness and commitment in the fight against trafficking in and sexual exploitation of children.
The Code of Conduct contains the following 6 criteria to be implemented by a company that signs the Declaration for Adoption:
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to establish a corporate ethical policy against commercial sexual exploitation of children,
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to train the personnel in the country of origin and travel destinations,
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to introduce clauses in contracts with suppliers, stating a common repudiation of sexual exploitation of children,
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to provide information to travelers through catalogues, brochures, in-flight films, ticket-slips, websites, etc.,
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to provide information to local ‘key persons’ at destinations,
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to report annually.
The Code of Conduct has been recognized as an existing best practice by the tourism sector worldwide and has been implemented by numerous tour operators and countries. In April of 2004, it was launched in the USA. (For more information: www.thecode.org)
The Project "Public-Private Co-operation in the Prevention of Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Minors in Travel and Tourism Industry" aims at having the travel, tourism and hospitality industry operating in Romania sign and adopt the Code of Conduct. The 6 criteria of the Code of Conduct will be introduced to the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in Romania as well as government and civil society through a series of roundtables and training workshops. In addition, training workshops and industry linkages and cooperation with government and civil society will foster enhanced capacities and a multi-sectoral commitment to the monitoring of the implementation of the Code of Conduct and fight against trafficking and sexual exploitation of children in Romania.
In Romania, the project has been launched in November 2004, through a roundtable where it was decided to set up a Multi-Stakeholder Committee coordinated by Save the Children Romania, that should adapt the provision of the Code of conduct to the Romanian reality, with a view to promoting and adopting it. The Committee is made up of representatives of the Romanian Hotel Industry Federation, National Association of Tourism Agencies, Institute for Crime Prevention and Research, Ministry of Transport, Construction and Tourism, National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Save the Children Romania. The Committee hold several meetings in 2005, in which methods of promoting the Code of Conduct were discussed, the information materials (posters - in Romanian [Adobe PDF, 285 Kb], English [Adobe PDF, 267 Kb] and French [Adobe PDF, 273 Kb], trilingual flyers Adobe PDF, 701 Kb]) were finalized, as well as the texts of the Code of Conduct and the Declaration for Adoption.
In May 2005, the first representatives of the travel and tourism industry signed the Declaration for Adoption: Sofitel and Golden Tulip Hotels, the Romanian Hotel Industry Federation, National Association of Tourism Agencies, on behalf of their members (more than 800). Mrs. Lotta Sand signed the Declaration for Adoption on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Code of Conduct. Mrs. Helen Santiago-Fink, Senior Economic Affairs Officer at OSCE and Ms. Astrod Winkler, Project Coordinator at “respect” were also present in the meeting.
In phase II of the project, training sessions with the professionals working in the travel and tourism industry are organized, the training kit is finalized, new signatories are going to be attracted and new ways of promoting the Code of Conduct will be identified.
Click here to read theDeclaration for Adoption [Adobe PDF, 155 Kb] and the Code of Conduct [Adobe PDF, 231 Kb].
Code of Conduct update - training sessions for the professinals working in the tourist industry [Adobe PDF, 156 Kb]
Code of Conduct update - latest activities carried out within the project [Adobe PDF, 168 Kb]
Code of Conduct update - awarness raising campaign and technical seminar on the seaside
[Adobe PDF, 172 Kb]
The most recent training session took place on 7th of July 2007 at Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel, Bucharest, Romania, from 9.30 to 17.30 and was organized by Save the Children Romania supported by Respect Institute - Austria, OSCE, Internal Affairs Romanian Ministry, The National Authority against Trafficking. The training was in Romanian. You can find more information in: