Creating Change Through Partnership

Fourteen Countries Change Policies And Laws; Eight Commit To Adopt International Standards To Protect Children From Sex Trafficking
Joint Campaign Between The Body Shop And Ecpat International Makes Significant Improvements In Child Protection According To New Report

Bangkok, Thailand, 29 March. Twenty countries worldwide have committed to protect children from sex trafficking by either changing laws or adopting international human rights standards, according to a new report launched by The Body Shop and ECPAT International.

Entitled ‘Creating Change through Partnership’, the report reveals how the ground breaking ‘Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People’ campaign has inspired governments across the world to take action against human trafficking.

Where campaign petitions were presented directly to states, 14 governments have changed or committed to change their laws and policies to better protect children from sex trafficking. In addition, a further 8 countries to adopting international human rights standards (for full details, see report).

Commenting on the campaign, The Body Shop’s International Campaign Director and winner of the United Nations Business Leaders Award, Christopher Davis said ‘We are proud that 20 countries have listened to our call to do more to look after some of the world’s most vulnerable people. The success of the campaign is a tribute to every single person who visited our stores across the world and signed our campaign petition and to the thousands of staff at The Body Shop who inspired so many millions of people to participate’.

ECPAT International Executive Director, Kathleen Speake added ‘Through the passion, commitment and experience of ECPAT International and The Body Shop, children are better protected from sex trafficking than they were in 2009 when we started this campaign. Unfortunately, much more needs to be done, particularly in encouraging governments to provide specialised services for affected children. It is clear that we must all work together more effectively and prioritise children to ensure that they are protected from this egregious crime’.

Alan Bell, National Director of ECPAT New Zealand says “The campaign with The Body Shop has been a great demonstration of industry and a charitable trust working together to bring about change to protect children and youth from abuse. With The Body Shop brand and retail outlets with dedicated staff and the ECPAT network around the globe it has been possible to reach out to many people who beforehand were not aware of the extent of the sexual exploitation of children. This campaign will leave a legacy of increased awareness and actions taken by governments, agencies and the public that will continue the fight against this crime that causes suffering to millions of children around the world every year."

The final campaign report, ‘Creating Change through Partnership’, outlines the progress that has been made, highlights areas where countries are failing and makes key recommendations for states to ensure a child-specific focus in implementing prevention, protection and care initiatives to protect children from sex trafficking.

The campaign has received special recognition from US President Bill Clinton, who described the campaign as ‘an exemplary approach to addressing a specific global challenge’ and other key UN Special Rapporteurs and Child Rights Advocates: Joy Ezeilo [UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons], Dr Najat M’jid Maalla [UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography], and Martha Santos Pais [UN Special Representatives of the Secretary General on violence against children].

Throughout 2012, The Body Shop and ECPAT International will continue to work together and urge governments who have received the campaign petitions to take action and do everything in their power to take action in order protect children and young people from sex trafficking.

NOTES

Campaign Data

Eight countries have adopted International Legal Standards to protect children from sex trafficking:

Four countries have ratified the UN Trafficking Protocol:
- India
- Indonesia
- Greece
- Ireland

Four countries have ratified the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography:
- Pakistan
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- New Zealand

Fourteen countries have changed their polices and laws to better protect children from sex trafficking:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Cambodia
- Germany
- Ireland
- Latvia
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Mexico
- Philippines
- Romania
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- USA

For more information please see the final campaign report ‘Creating Change through Partnership’ at www.ecpat.net

The Body Shop Manifesto
We believe true beauty comes from the heart. For us, beauty is much more than a pretty face. It’s about feeling good and doing good, too. We make our products with love and care. We source some of the finest raw ingredients from the four corners of the globe. We harness the skills of artisan farmers and add our expertise to create effective products that are wonderful to use. We trade fairly so communities benefit as well as you. We never test on animals, and all our products are 100% vegetarian. We campaign with passion on issues close to our heart, because activism is in our blood. We always keep people, animals and the planet in mind. So when you shop with us, you are choosing...Beauty With Heart.

About ECPAT International
ECPAT International is the only network of organisations and individuals exclusively dedicated to ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children. It is composed of more than 81 member organisations in 75 countries. ECPAT gives local, grass-roots child rights groups a global voice to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere are protected from commercial sexual exploitation. Members of ECPAT work to provide direct care to child victims, implement public information campaigns and work with governments to protect children all over the world.

ENDS

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