The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is torn by disagreements on how to eliminate child sex tourism. The primary solution discussed by delegates from all nationalities is the need for education.
Several countries made strong points for educating not only the families who are at risk of being affected by child sex tourism, but also the children themselves, and the potential tourists. According to the delegate from Denmark, education for children in schools would be “a form of sex education” that would be a preventative measure. China suggested community workshops to open a channel of communication regarding sex trafficking. Educating the families helps inform families of what might happen should they sell their children into sex work. The Côte d’Ivoire brought up plans to support current victims of child sex tourism in order to help those who are actively involved in the dangerous situation at this very moment.
Although all delegates agreed that education was a resolution to child sex tourism, several countries also opposed ideas for educational campaigns. A social media campaign, according to Canada, would be “a complete waste of funds and our resources,” since many of the people who are vulnerable to sex trafficking in Southeast Asian countries do not have access to social media. The United Kingdom countered the statement about sex education from Denmark by reminding the committee that in order “to education children in schools, you actually need schools.”
The committee began moving away from education as a solution since it brought up so much debate and asked whether micro-loans would help the economic crisis that is adding to child sex tourism risks. India suggested that micro-loans would support families so that they would not have the need to sell their children into sex work. This suggestion was taken down by Canada who cautioned that these micro-loans were unreliable as they have to be paid back in order to not just be scholarships granted to individual families all through-out Southeast Asia.
Several countries made strong points for educating not only the families who are at risk of being affected by child sex tourism, but also the children themselves, and the potential tourists. According to the delegate from Denmark, education for children in schools would be “a form of sex education” that would be a preventative measure. China suggested community workshops to open a channel of communication regarding sex trafficking. Educating the families helps inform families of what might happen should they sell their children into sex work. The Côte d’Ivoire brought up plans to support current victims of child sex tourism in order to help those who are actively involved in the dangerous situation at this very moment.
Although all delegates agreed that education was a resolution to child sex tourism, several countries also opposed ideas for educational campaigns. A social media campaign, according to Canada, would be “a complete waste of funds and our resources,” since many of the people who are vulnerable to sex trafficking in Southeast Asian countries do not have access to social media. The United Kingdom countered the statement about sex education from Denmark by reminding the committee that in order “to education children in schools, you actually need schools.”
The committee began moving away from education as a solution since it brought up so much debate and asked whether micro-loans would help the economic crisis that is adding to child sex tourism risks. India suggested that micro-loans would support families so that they would not have the need to sell their children into sex work. This suggestion was taken down by Canada who cautioned that these micro-loans were unreliable as they have to be paid back in order to not just be scholarships granted to individual families all through-out Southeast Asia.