In response to my column last week about the terrifying case of sexual exploitation and possible trafficking by a foreigner of two minors aged 14 and 12, I received the observation about the dimension that these crimes have throughout the country.
Let’s imagine for a moment that the girl or boy, exploited on a paradise beach, is our daughter or son, nephew or granddaughter. Would we continue to view this situation with the same distance? It is time to internalize the reality that minors at risk or exploited are not statistics, but fragile human beings who deserve our attention and protection.
Furthermore, some institutions with responsibility for public policies and actions consider this topic uncomfortable, and prefer not to delve into it with urgency and determination. They prefer to crouch.
But, in reality, the dimension of the problem is much larger and occurs in many tourist cities in Colombia and also in border areas, areas of road and river ports, in front of infrastructure projects, and in areas classified as conflict. .
For all legal sectors, codes of conduct and manuals with actions in the fight against commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking in girls, boys and adolescents must be promoted. Both travelers and local citizens must be informed about the associated risks and the importance of traveling and receiving tourists in an ethical and responsible manner.
Codes of conduct in the tourism sector, which range from hotels, restaurants, to travel agencies and airlines, can be a fundamental path of action in the protection of minors. These codes, however, must go beyond simple formalities. They must become an active expression of social responsibility to guarantee safe environments free of sexual exploitation of girls, boys and adolescents.
It is common for commitments to be assumed by the formal sector and certain hotel chains, but now it is imperative to involve the entire value chain of the sector, including the informal sectors and the popular economy, in the adoption and compliance of these codes of conduct. Ethical practices are a duty shared by all, not an exclusive responsibility of a few, if we want to change the current situation.
The manuals are intended to support the institutions in charge of public policies. They provide guidance on how to develop laws, strategies and regulations to prevent and combat exploitation and trafficking. They include the identification of good practices, the development of solid legal frameworks, which include precision in criminal matters, cooperation instruments and the implementation of monitoring, updating and evaluation mechanisms.
Ethical tourism is not simply an option; It is a moral imperative. Travelers and tourism businesses have a responsibility to ensure that their activities do not contribute to or tolerate any form of child exploitation. Travelers should be informed about the associated risks and the importance of traveling ethically and respectfully.
Awareness campaigns must also be directed at local communities, to educate them so that they understand that tourism that tolerates practices against local minors is unsustainable.
It is crucial to emphasize the importance of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), under the current leadership of Natalia Bayona of Colombia, to comprehensively lead the promotion of tourism that is completely free of any form of crime against minors.
In the meantime, will the Ministry of Tourism remain silent or will it actively review its strategies and actions in relation to responsible tourism, free of exploitation and trafficking?
*Former director of the ICBF
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