CAMBODIA. The ChildSafe Movement, which was founded by Southeast Asian children’s charity Friends-International in 2005, has revealed guidelines to highlight child welfare in the travel industry.
Its Child Welfare and the Travel Industry Global Good Practice Guidelines will be launched at an event in Phnom Penh next month.
The project was developed in collaboration with adventure travel company G Adventures and the Planeterra Foundation, which is committed to helping local communities to earn an income from tourism. Its launch is also supported by UNICEF, the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism and Futures Factory, which is another Friends-International social enterprise.
The ChildSafe Movement aims to protect children and youth worldwide. “Children and youth living on the margins of society are exposed to many abuses, from physical and emotional violence to sexual exploitation, forced labour or lack of access to health care and education,” the movement states. “Businesses play a key role in protecting children globally.” |
The ChildSafe publication includes information on how companies can prevent and respond to child abuse and have the best impact on children. It also encourages businesses to ensure that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies reinforce child welfare.
Friends-International Executive Director Sebastien Marot noted that travellers are “increasingly demanding that their social footprint be as light as possible”.
“Protecting children is at the top of their concerns,” he said. “It is good business for the tourism industry to lead in that field, and these guidelines are their tool.”
As reported, The Moodie Davitt Report – with great backing from the travel retail industry – raised over US$250,000 in support of Friends-International at last year’s Duty Calls Charity Dinner at Jewel Changi Airport.
The Moodie Davitt Report also nominated Friends-International as the Women in Travel Retail (WiTR) 2019 charity. WiTR members and supporters raised nearly €19,000 to support the charity’s beauty training programme for young women.
The launch event for Child Welfare and the Travel Industry Global Good Practice Guidelines will take place at Futures Factory, near the National Museum in Phnom Penh, on 27 February.
