Children at a kindergarten in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) – The sexual exploitation of childrenin travel and tourism (SECTT) was high on the agenda at a media seminar held bythe Secretariat of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Jakarta onApril 5.
Opening the event, AIPA Secretary-General IsraSunthornvut said the organisation is a regional parliamentary network acting asa centre for connecting member parliaments of ASEAN nations.
To bring ASEAN closer to people, AIPA isactively promoting good programmes and partnerships among networks, especiallyin seeking initiatives to enhance the legal framework for protecting childrenfrom sexual exploitation and seeking solutions to the SECTT, he noted.
At the seminar, representatives of pressagencies from Indonesia and other countries shared the view that the sexualexploitation of children is currently a pressing issue that needs to beaddressed thoroughly soon in all Southeast Asian countries.
They said aside from the huge profit generatedby tourism, this industry has also created unwanted aspects threatening thefuture of younger generations. Criminals can take advantage of the facilitatedtravel to access vulnerable children while using legal loopholes to avoid beinguncovered or prosecuted.
Therefore, it is necessary to have comprehensiveresponse measures in law enforcement in each country as well as in regionalcooperation. A comprehensive and strong enough legal framework is critical toending this type of crime, they added.-VNA
VNA
