Along with child trafficking, child sex tourism in one of the two components of sexual exploitation of children on which the IBCR focuses its work. Working for the prevention of sexual exploitation of children since 1997 through forums, trainings, and publications, the International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR) has quickly become a dynamic actor in this field at the international level. The IBCR distinguished itself during the 2nd and 3rd World Congress against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents in 2001 in Yokohama, Japan, and in 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Due to the increasing number of children affected by sex tourism and the delay demonstrated by Canada to join the ranks of countries involved in the prevention of this crime, the IBCR took the initiative in 2008 to launch a specific program to combat this form of sexual exploitation: the Program to Fight Child Sex Tourism (CST). The IBCR leads this program in order to prevent and combat child sex tourism involving Canadian tourists abroad.
The program has multiple objectives:
- Raise awareness among the Canadian population and the Canadian tourism industry about the phenomenon of child sex tourism and about its legal and social consequences.
-Share successful initiatives in terms of the fight against CST and encourage the integration of preoccupations related to CST and the protection of children in the corporate social responsibility policies in Canada.
- Develop networks and create coalitions involving key actors in the private sector of tourism, as well as national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations.
- Reinforce local capacities in Canadians’ main touristic destinations.
- Ensure a large dissemination of information related to CST in the countries where sex tourists come from, like Canada.