Stahili welcomes the VVD initiative to end orphanage tourism in the Netherlands

November 13, 2018 Stahili

Concern about the harmful effects of orphanage volunteering and “orphanage tourism” has grown around the world in recent years, for example in Australia. Now Wybren van Haga, Spokesperson for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the VVD (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie), a leading Dutch political party, has put forward proposals to curb and eventually end orphanage tourism from the Netherlands.

The white paper proposal (‘initiatiefnota’) is available here in English and here in Dutch.

The paper is the culmination of a process which began with a series of questions to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Sigrid Kaag, by another VVD member of parliament, Bente Becker, in March 2018. Becker tabled the questions after reading this article in Trouw newspaper. Last year’s national campaign against orphanage volunteering led by Better Care Network Netherlands (#stopweeshuistoerisme), and a similar campaign this year against internships in orphanages (#stopweeshuisstages), have increased awareness of the issue in the Netherlands, particularly among young people.

The white paper proposes a series of policy reforms and legislative measures to limit support for overseas orphanages, curb orphanage volunteering, and step up efforts against orphanage trafficking at the international level. It proposes seven points for action:

  1. Ensure that volunteer sending organisations and tour operators who offer programmes that involve children are subject to regulations (for example, in child protection) to prevent abuse.
  2. Ensure that combating orphanage tourism is an integral part of Dutch government policy in the coming years.
  3. Prevent Dutch taxpayers’ funds from maintaining the orphanage industry.
  4. Launch a public awareness campaign to warn (prospective) volunteers about the risks of orphanage volunteering.
  5. Ensure that orphanage tourism is treated at the international level as a contribution to human trafficking.
  6. Warn travellers more actively about the risks of orphanage tourism.
  7. Promote responsible self-regulation among volunteer agencies and tour operators.

Stahili welcomes this initiative to stimulate debate at the political level in the Netherlands on tackling orphanage tourism and pledges its support, in partnership with our colleagues at Better Care Network Netherlands, for positive changes which will protect children.