FHTA 18 May 2022 – The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) completed their two-day training on Tuesday 17 May 2022 on Child Safe Tourism and Respectful Workplaces Policies in Nadi for staff of the tourism industry businesses.
The two-day training launched a month-long collaboration which will 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.
This joint training provides participants with tools to recognise, respond to, and report incidents of child exploitation and abuse within their workplaces, as well as gives 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.
The two pieces of training were delivered together because of the synergies they share with similar approaches to recognising, responding to and reporting incidents as well as raising awareness on both issues through policy development and staff and community education.
This training was facilitated in collaboration with the Australia Volunteers International (AVI) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) and was held at the Tanoa International Hotel.
It is no coincidence that within the next few weeks, the Fijian Government is set to launch a National Child Safeguarding Policy that would dictate child safe practices for all Government Ministries and business partners.
The Ministry for Commerce, Trade, Tourism & Transport (MCTTT) is also preparing to include child-safe practice requirements in the National Tourism Code of Conduct that is being developed that is also expected to have an extensive set of guidelines that tourism businesses will 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.
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.
FHTA is committed to promoting responsible workplace practices and supporting initiatives that mirror this commitment.
