Human trafficking - a form of modern-day slavery involving the recruitment of people for exploitation by means of force or intimidation - generates around US$150 billion every year.
It has been argued that the international business meetings and events industry - with its close links to the hospitality, travel and service sectors - is well-positioned to help tackle the issue, which causes misery for almost 28 million people around the world.
This week Ottawa Tourism launched its Anti-Human
Trafficking Action Plan, highlighting the proactive steps the industry can take to
address and mitigate human trafficking risks.
Key
components of the plan include:
- Enhanced
access to information: Expanding digital resources to provide vital
information on human trafficking to the public, tourism industry members,
and event organisers, ensuring comprehensive materials are readily
available.
- Comprehensive
training programmes: Offering specialised training sessions in
partnership with industry experts to equip tourism businesses and
professionals with the knowledge to identify and address potential human
trafficking situations effectively.
- Destination-wide
assessment: Conducting audits of Ottawa Tourism's members to evaluate
current anti-trafficking efforts, identify gaps, and inform future
strategies for more effective interventions.
At the same time, Ottawa Tourism has become an official partner
of The Code (The Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct), demonstrating a
steadfast commitment to responsible tourism practices that protect children
from sexual exploitation. This partnership aims to serve as a catalyst,
encouraging other tourism organisations and destinations to take decisive
action against human trafficking.
Other industry initiatives
Ottawa isn’t alone in its fight against exploitation. The
Events Industry Council (EIC) emphasises the importance of awareness and
training in combating human trafficking. “Awareness in helping to end all forms
of human trafficking requires
vigilance in keeping up to date on what changes traffickers are making to avoid capture and prosecution,”
said MPI Anti-Human Trafficking Committee member, MaryAnne Bobrow. “For
those of us who advocate against trafficking
in all forms, our best approach is to be trained by national/global
organisations in programmes to ensure we have the latest information on
awareness and, through the organisations we volunteer for, to ensure that our
audiences have current information.”
They advocate for the industry's
collective power to raise awareness and leverage resources to fight against
human trafficking. The EIC highlights the significance of being informed and
utilising comprehensive resources such as the 'Blue Heart Campaign' led by the
UNODC, which raises funds to support victims, increase awareness of the dangers
of human trafficking, and prevent further cases.
Other organisations to take a look at include A21, an international anti-slavery organisation which offers education, resources and various oppurtuities to get involved. Whether it's downloading the social media toolkit, watching the explanatory vidoes on human trafficking, donating or joining one of the 500 awarness walks worldwide; A21 makes it easy to do something.
The Code, which Ottawa Tourism recently partnered with, is a multi-stakeholder initiative with the mission to provide awareness, tools and support to the travel and tourism industry to prevent the sexual exploitation of children. Non-profits, businesses and travellers can sign up to the initiative and gain access to a library of resources including eLearnings, risk assesment toolkits and research.
For more information on Ottawa Tourism's Anti-Human
Trafficking Action Plan and resources available, visit Ottawa Tourism's official website.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
