Stop Orphanage Voluntourism: which leads to child trafficking, exploitation and abuse.
The Issue
To: Legislators in the state of California and the United States of America
We, the undersigned, demand immediate legislative action to regulate the practice of orphanage voluntourism, in alignment with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution on the Rights of the Child. This resolution calls for the protection of children from exploitation and harm, emphasizing the need for governments to prevent and address the adverse effects associated with orphanage voluntourism.
Our Demands:
Comprehensive Background Checks for Volunteers:
Demand: Enact laws mandating that organizations operating within the US or California, which facilitate volunteer placements in orphanages, conduct thorough background checks on all potential volunteers. This measure is crucial to ensure that individuals interacting with children are properly vetted for their suitability and do not pose any safety risks.
Rationale: The safety and security of children must be paramount. Background checks are a fundamental step in safeguarding children from potential abuse and exploitation by ensuring that only qualified and well-intentioned individuals are allowed to volunteer.
Rigorous Audits and Vetting of Orphanages:
Demand: Require organizations profiting from volunteer placements in orphanages to perform stringent audits and vetting of these institutions. This is to verify that the orphanages are genuinely committed to the children's best interests and are not exploiting the voluntourism industry for financial gain.
Rationale: A significant number of orphanages in popular voluntourism destinations have been established in response to the demand created by foreign volunteers, leading to the unnecessary institutionalization of children, many of whom have families but are portrayed as orphans to attract funding and volunteers.
Mandatory Disclosure of Orphanage Voluntourism Realities:
Demand: Legislate that any organization advertising orphanage volunteer opportunities must include a prominent disclaimer in all promotional content. This disclaimer should educate potential volunteers about the fact that the majority of children in these institutions are not orphans and should highlight the potential ethical issues and negative impacts of orphanage voluntourism. This includes social media and online search engines.
Rationale: Awareness is key to ethical volunteering. Many individuals are unaware that their well-intentioned efforts can contribute to the separation of children from their families, the disruption of local communities, and the perpetuation of a system that commodifies children's experiences for profit.
Supporting Facts:
Research indicates that the majority of children living in orphanages worldwide have at least one living parent or close relative who could care for them given the right support.
The demand for orphanage voluntourism has led to the establishment of orphanages that operate more as businesses than child care institutions, often resulting in poor living conditions, inadequate care, and exploitation of the children for financial gain.
Studies have shown that growing up in institutional care can have detrimental effects on a child's physical, emotional, and psychological development, emphasizing the importance of family-based care solutions.
It is estimated that up to eight million children worldwide live in orphanages and residential care settings and between 60% and 80% have at least one living parent. Many of these children are living in residential care due to the commodification of children and the industry of orphanage voluntourism.
Conclusion:
In light of these pressing concerns and the directives of the UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child, we implore you to take swift legislative action. By regulating orphanage voluntourism, and requiring minimum common sense protections, we can help protect vulnerable children from exploitation, support ethical volunteering practices, and ensure that assistance to children in need is provided in a manner that respects their rights and dignity.
We stand united in our call for these critical reforms and urge you to prioritize the safety and well-being of children in your legislative agenda.
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90
The Issue
To: Legislators in the state of California and the United States of America
We, the undersigned, demand immediate legislative action to regulate the practice of orphanage voluntourism, in alignment with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution on the Rights of the Child. This resolution calls for the protection of children from exploitation and harm, emphasizing the need for governments to prevent and address the adverse effects associated with orphanage voluntourism.
Our Demands:
Comprehensive Background Checks for Volunteers:
Demand: Enact laws mandating that organizations operating within the US or California, which facilitate volunteer placements in orphanages, conduct thorough background checks on all potential volunteers. This measure is crucial to ensure that individuals interacting with children are properly vetted for their suitability and do not pose any safety risks.
Rationale: The safety and security of children must be paramount. Background checks are a fundamental step in safeguarding children from potential abuse and exploitation by ensuring that only qualified and well-intentioned individuals are allowed to volunteer.
Rigorous Audits and Vetting of Orphanages:
Demand: Require organizations profiting from volunteer placements in orphanages to perform stringent audits and vetting of these institutions. This is to verify that the orphanages are genuinely committed to the children's best interests and are not exploiting the voluntourism industry for financial gain.
Rationale: A significant number of orphanages in popular voluntourism destinations have been established in response to the demand created by foreign volunteers, leading to the unnecessary institutionalization of children, many of whom have families but are portrayed as orphans to attract funding and volunteers.
Mandatory Disclosure of Orphanage Voluntourism Realities:
Demand: Legislate that any organization advertising orphanage volunteer opportunities must include a prominent disclaimer in all promotional content. This disclaimer should educate potential volunteers about the fact that the majority of children in these institutions are not orphans and should highlight the potential ethical issues and negative impacts of orphanage voluntourism. This includes social media and online search engines.
Rationale: Awareness is key to ethical volunteering. Many individuals are unaware that their well-intentioned efforts can contribute to the separation of children from their families, the disruption of local communities, and the perpetuation of a system that commodifies children's experiences for profit.
Supporting Facts:
Research indicates that the majority of children living in orphanages worldwide have at least one living parent or close relative who could care for them given the right support.
The demand for orphanage voluntourism has led to the establishment of orphanages that operate more as businesses than child care institutions, often resulting in poor living conditions, inadequate care, and exploitation of the children for financial gain.
Studies have shown that growing up in institutional care can have detrimental effects on a child's physical, emotional, and psychological development, emphasizing the importance of family-based care solutions.
It is estimated that up to eight million children worldwide live in orphanages and residential care settings and between 60% and 80% have at least one living parent. Many of these children are living in residential care due to the commodification of children and the industry of orphanage voluntourism.
Conclusion:
In light of these pressing concerns and the directives of the UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child, we implore you to take swift legislative action. By regulating orphanage voluntourism, and requiring minimum common sense protections, we can help protect vulnerable children from exploitation, support ethical volunteering practices, and ensure that assistance to children in need is provided in a manner that respects their rights and dignity.
We stand united in our call for these critical reforms and urge you to prioritize the safety and well-being of children in your legislative agenda.
[Signature Line]
Please add your name, date, and any affiliations or comments you wish to include in support of this urgent petition.
For more resources, information or to join our mailing list please visit
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Petition created on February 22, 2024