Central American Authorities Target Sexual Abuses of Children

Tourism officials in Central America and UNICEF experts met in El Salvador last week to assess ways of nipping sexual exploitation of children and teenagers right in the bud, especially in the field of tourism.

The event, entitled “Preventing Sexual Exploitation of Boys, Girls and Adolescents and Contributing to Sustainable Tourism in Central America,” was held at a hotel in San Salvador with the sponsorship of the Italian Government’s Cooperation Agency, the Central America Integration System and the Central American Tourism Council.

The main topics tackled in the gathering were sexual exploitation of minors, UNICEF’s assessment of sexual tourism from the perspective of children and teenagers, as well as practical experiences in the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica to deal with this pressing issue.

Experts from Central American tourism ministries, industry professionals, businesspeople and UNICEF officials huddled with representatives from Central American tourism federations and chambers, state-run institutions, educational organizations, HMO’s, immigration authorities, police departments, law enforcement officers, prosecutors and foreign affairs offices.