Staff of tourism industry businesses underwent a two-day training on Child Safe Tourism and Respectful Workplaces Policies where participants learnt about tools to recognise, respond to, and report incidents of child exploitation and abuse within their workplaces.
According to a statement from the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) it had completed their two-day training on Tuesday May 17, 2022 in Nadi.
The training was also said to give them insight into the indicators and effects of domestic and sexual violence, workplace bullying and harassment and how to formulate an appropriate workplace policy to respond to this.
FHTA chief executive officer Fantasha Lockington stressed the need to ensure the tourism industry in Fiji was also suitably prepared to develop safety networks and appropriate policies for safeguarding tourism staff, guests and the communities tourism worked closely with.
The association said the training launched a month-long collaboration which would culminate in the participating businesses reporting on their new initiatives that support and promote Child Safe Tourism and Respectful Workplaces through the implementation of the new policies.
The two pieces of training were delivered together because of the synergies they shared with similar approaches to recognising, responding to and reporting incidents as well as raising awareness on both issues through policy development as well as staff and community education.
This training, which was held at the Tanoa International Hotel, was facilitated in collaboration with the Australia Volunteers International (AVI) and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
FHTA stated in the next few weeks, the Fijian Government was set to launch a National Child Safeguarding Policy which would dictate child safe practices for all government ministries and business partners.
The association also stated the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT) was preparing to include child safe practice requirements in the National Tourism Code of Conduct which was being developed. This was also expected to have an extensive set of guidelines which tourism businesses would be encouraged and eventually required to adhere to.
FHTAs training program prepares participants to raise awareness within their own workforces and are equipped to provide on-training to other staff members on completion.
The association was committed to promoting responsible workplace practices and supporting initiatives that mirror this commitment.
