On the eve of the World Cup, UNICEF has applauded the South African tourism and hospitality industry for its significant commitment to put an end to child sex tourism.

Top industry leaders have signed the ‘Tourism Child Protection Code of Conduct’ aimed at protecting children and to leaving an enduring legacy of good practice beyond the World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow.

UNICEF South Africa Representative, Aida Girma, says that the contribution of the travel and tourism industry is vital to help stamp out child sexual exploitation.

“When it comes to the sexual exploitation of children, there can be no innocent bystanders. Effective child protection is only possible when all sectors of society were mobilised. Together, we must demonstrate zero tolerance of child exploitation and make South Africa a tourist destination that is safe for children.”

South Africa has enacted legislation that strengthens the criminalisation of the use of children in prostitution and has put measures in place to strengthen their protection during the World Cup period.

While child sex tourism is not strongly associated with South Africa as a tourist destination, high poverty levels and growing inequality suggest that tens of thousands of children in the country are at risk of sexual and other forms of exploitation.

Domestic as well as foreign tourists may knowingly or unknowingly become involved in child exploitation, for example by transacting sex with an underage sex worker or buying goods from a trader exploiting child labour.

To date, nearly 1,000 companies in 35 countries have signed The Code. Tourism businesses that choose to sign The Code commit themselves to implement the following measures on an ongoing basis:

1. Establish an ethical corporate policy regarding sexual exploitation of children.
2. Train personnel in the country of origin and in destinations.
3. Introduce clauses in contracts with suppliers, stating a common repudiation of sexual exploitation of children.
4. Provide information to travellers (e.g. brochures, posters, in-flight videos, ticket slips, home pages, etc).
5. Provide information to local "key persons" at tourism destinations.
6. Report annually.

The signing is also linked to a wider UNICEF-led national campaign aimed at protecting children during the World Cup and beyond. This includes child-friendly spaces where children can watch the games, children’s sports festivals, provision of child protection information, and training of social workers.