WORLD FIRST: Australia to recognise orphanage tourism as slavery

WORLD FIRST: Australia to recognise orphanage tourism as slavery

Good news everyone! The Modern Slavery Bill has passed in the House of Reps!

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Under the bill, which was introduced in June this year, the travel industry will be required to report on their supply chains with the inclusion of orphanage trafficking in the legislation.

This means Australia could be the first country in the world to identify orphanage trafficking as modern slavery.

Now it’s made it through the house of reps, the bill will go to the Senate for further consideration and could become law as soon as the end of this year.

And we’re not the only ones over the moon about this, Intrepid Group are also celebrating, having themselves provided recommendations to the government for reporting requirements for Aussie businesses that profit from orphanage tourism.

“We recommended that orphanage tourism be recognised as a form of child exploitation and that the jurisdiction reaches beyond Australia to overseas supply chains,” Intrepid Group responsible business manager Liz Manning said.

“More than half of the world’s victims of modern slavery are exploited in the Asia-Pacific region, a fact which often comes as a surprise to Australians.” Assistant Minister for Home Affairs Senator Linda Reynolds said.

“Many of the products and services Australians use may be impacted or tainted at some point in the supply chain by forced labour.”

Intrepid Group removed orphanage visits from all itineraries in 2016 amid growing concern around the impact on the children’s welfare.

“Orphanage tourism provides travellers with access to vulnerable children, and results in children being commodified and treated like tourist attractions,” Manning said.

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