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MEMBERS
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)
have intensified the fight against child trafficking and
child-sex tourism in the region by tapping the
assistance of key tourism businesses that are being used
as havens of pedophiles.
The
Asean regional education campaign and the Australian
government launched the program “Please Protect our
National Treasures” by engaging the assistance of
players in the tourism industry to combat child-sex
tourism in the region.
The
five-year program, with assistance from the Australian
Agency for International Development, aims to eliminate
child-sex tourism in the Asean region.
Famous
tourism destinations like Bali in Indonesia and Boracay
in the Philippines are some of the identified hot spots
for child-sex tourism, where Western pedophiles from the
US, Europe and Australia pay for the services of
children for sexual pleasures.
The
campaign is being supported by more than 200 regional
tourism businesses that committed to help in the
program.
Australia’s Ambassador to the Philippines Rod Smith
cited the importance of safeguarding children in the
region and the tourism industry from child-sex tourists.
“Joint
efforts between the private and public sectors will send
a strong message that there is no safe haven for
child-sex offenders in Southeast Asia,” said Smith at
the recent launch of the program.
“Children are our most precious treasures. Grey
Worldwide has donated its expertise to develop the Asean
Regional Education Campaign. We now welcome the support
of other businesses to invest in building a safe future
for children in the region,” said Nicholas Tandi Dammen,
Asean deputy secretary-general.
Mick
Keelty, Australian Federal Police commissioner,
meanwhile explained that child sexual exploitation is
one of the most appalling human-rights violations.
“Australia takes a strong stand against child-sex
tourism, and ending it remains an enduring goal of the
Australian government. Bringing together the private and
public sectors to combat this issue is a logical step in
cementing a sustainable response to child-sex tourism,”
said Keelty.
The
Australian child protection group ChildWise, meanwhile,
stressed the importance of having the governments and
business sectors in the tourism industry cooperate to
combat child-sex tourism.
It said
the public is already making reports to the hotline
numbers, prompting police investigations. “Arrests are
happening. Now we need the support of the business
sector to ensure the campaign is visible in all prime
tourist destinations,” the group said. |
