The Government of Quintana Roo Signs an Agreement Against Child Sexual Exploitation in Tourism

 

The Governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama Espinosa, signed a “solidarity pact” with the International ECPAT Association (End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) with the purpose of safeguarding minors against sexual exploitation, pornography, and child trafficking, in commemoration of World Tourism Day. On behalf of the people of Quintana Roo and in the name of children and adolescents, she expressed her gratitude for the comprehensive approach being carried out in this field, as it is a collective collaboration that requires the participation of everyone to protect childhood and adolescence.

“That’s why we are signing this solidarity agreement, which is also part of our New Agreement for the Well-being and Development of Quintana Roo, in which children and adolescents are a priority and at the center of our actions,” explained the Governor of Quintana Roo.

Furthermore, she emphasized that the commitments established upon signing the agreement, through the collaboration of the Secretariat of Government, the Quintana Roo DIF System, the State Department of Education, and the State Department of Tourism, will be fully carried out, with responsibility and professionalism, as safeguarding the well-being of children is a priority in this administration with a humanistic and progressive approach.

Among the measures taken in Quintana Roo to address this issue, collaboration and data exchange with ECPAT Mexico are included to prevent sexual exploitation on social media platforms. They also aim to promote cooperation between the government, ECPAT, and municipalities for the implementation of programs that align with the Strategy for the Prevention of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents (ESCNNA).

An outreach campaign will be carried out aimed at promoting prevention and encouraging the reporting of crimes, as well as promoting the safety of children and adolescents in the hotel industry. Furthermore, support will be provided to facilitate and promote the certification process for tourism service providers in regulations and standards related to combating practices and crimes of sexual exploitation.

Regarding this, the head of the state’s Tourism Department, Bernardo Cueto Riestra, emphasized that the best way to commemorate World Tourism Day is through this significant action, which involves joining efforts against child exploitation. He stressed that following the guidelines of Governor Mara Lezama, Quintana Roo is pursuing ethical-based tourism.

Through the signing of the Agreement, certification of tourism establishments will be carried out, codes of conduct will be promoted, preventive measures will be implemented through tourism education, and collaboration and the adoption of best practices among service providers will be encouraged.

The leader of SEDETUR pointed out that significant progress has been made in the fight against child sexual exploitation in the tourism sector. This includes training more than 2,500 employees to raise awareness about the issue and the implementation of 22 codes of conduct nationwide in the past year. However, the intention is not to stop there, and plans are in place to implement various prevention and response procedures in case of suspected violations of the rights of children and adolescents.

“Today, with the signing of this agreement, we immerse ourselves in a fight that goes beyond words, that transcends all borders, and that, as a social activist, I have had to address and denounce,” stated Governor Mara Lezama.

Norma Negrete Aguayo, the national coordinator of the ECPAT network, celebrated the government’s participation in creating a protective environment for the children and adolescents of the state, as well as for visitors.

“It is about joining efforts between sectors to consolidate and advance with firm and precise steps to create and achieve a true protective environment for children and adolescents to enjoy a full childhood,” she added.

The signing was attended by Verónica Lezama Espinosa, Honorary President of DIF Quintana Roo; Abril Sabido Alcérreca, General Director of DIF; Cristina Torres Gómez, Secretary of Government; Carlos Gorocica, Secretary of Education; and Bernardo Cueto, Secretary of Tourism.