C061 Encouraging the Use of the Code on Conduct for the Protection of Children
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,
That consistent with Resolution 2009-A167 of the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which “calls for the protection of all victims of human trafficking,” the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church support the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism (“The Code”) adopted by ECPAT (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking); and be it further
Resolved, That the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church encourage programs and ministries of The Episcopal Church to give preference to tourism companies and businesses, including but not limited to hotels, airlines, and travel agents, that have signed The Code when making arrangements for meetings and travel to meetings; and be it further
Resolved, That the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church encourage programs and ministries of The Episcopal Church to make available opportunities for advocacy and education with tourism companies and businesses, including but not limited to hotels, airlines, and travel agents, that have not signed The Code when they are used for arrangements for meetings and travel to meetings; and be it further
Resolved, That the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church encourage all dioceses, parishes within the dioceses, and members of The Episcopal Church to give preference to tourism companies and businesses, including but not limited to hotels, airlines, and travel agents, that have signed The Code when traveling and to engage in advocacy with tourism companies and businesses that have not; and be it further
Resolved, That The Episcopal Church website make available current information on the status of companies that have signed The Code.
Explanation
The Code can be found at http://www.thecode.org/who-have-signed/members/ The travel and tourism industry is uniquely positioned to address child sex trafficking. For example, 45% of children trafficked for sex in New York City are exploited in hotels. (Ric Curtis, et al., “The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in New York City,” The Center for Court Innovation, NYC, 2008.) Members of this industry that endorse The Code agree to: 1. Establish a policy and procedures against child sexual exploitation. 2. Train employees in children’s rights, the prevention of sexual exploitation and how to report suspected cases. 3. Include a clause in contracts throughout the value chain stating a common repudiation and zero tolerance policy of child sexual exploitation. 4. Provide information to travelers on children’s rights, the prevention of child sexual exploitation and how to report suspected cases. 5. Support, collaborate, and engage stakeholders in the prevention of child sexual exploitation. 6. Report annually on their implementation of Code related activities. Nearly 1,300 companies have signed The Code, including many hotel chains and airlines. By becoming knowledgeable about The Code, and encouraging agencies to support it, we continue to shed light on trafficking, and to encourage a public response against it. Supporting The Code when arranging meetings and travel to meetings would allow The Episcopal Church to continue its tradition of using its economic power to stand for justice and supporting the human rights of children.