As part of sustainable and responsible travel and tourism development, the industry must ensure that only responsible and safe forms of voluntourism are undertaken.
Companies should exclude visits to orphanages from tourism packages as it drives institutionalisation which causes harm to children. Without regulation and care, some forms of voluntourism allow un-vetted access
to children that puts them at risk of being trafficked and sexually exploited.
To address this issue, The Code developed a voluntourism policy for its current and prospective members, in addition to its main six criteria to protect children.
The Code Policy outlines criteria and provides guidelines for:
Organisations interested in membership of The Code
Organisations offering voluntourism products, or considering offering such products
Organisations currently involved in orphanage activities as a tourist attraction
Orphanage Divestment Resources for the Travel and Volunteering Sectors
Through consultation with organisations that have successfully transitioned as well as leaders in tourism, volunteering and child protection, this resource has been developed to support businesses in the travel and volunteering sectors to responsibly divest from relationships with orphanages.
The Global Standard for Volunteering for Development
While not focused on tourism
specifically, the Global Standard gives extensive guidance to volunteer
organisations so that all community members and volunteers are kept safe
and free from harm.
Practical guide for travel companies delivering volunteer tourism experiences. These best practice guidelines have been developed in consultation with a wide range of organisations to assist with understanding the range of issues and support activities that make tourism a positive means for change.
ReThink Orphanages is a global, cross-sector coalition working to prevent family separation and unnecessary child institutionalization by shifting the way countries in the global north engage with overseas aid and development.
