Cape Verde: ICCA and UNICEF Advocate for Sustainable Tourism and Child Protection
The Cape Verdean Institute for Child and Adolescent (ICCA) and UNICEF are calling for enhanced child protection measures against sexual exploitation within the tourism sector. Zaida Freitas, President of ICCA, emphasized that safeguarding minors is a collective and constitutional responsibility. She noted that in 2025, Cape Verde welcomed over 1.2 million tourists, with Sal Island being the primary destination, attracting more than half of all visitors. Freitas warned that increased human mobility and tourism can pose serious risks to children, including grooming, child pornography, and exploitation by adults. Although formal reports of tourism-related exploitation to ICCA have historically been low, recent data from Sal Island is concerning. In the first half of 2026, ICCA's Sal delegation recorded 129 rights violation reports, seven of which involved suspected sexual violence. A recent police operation dismantled a child prostitution ring on Sal, which also has the highest number of street children in the country, with 87 out of 208 identified nationally in 2025. Freitas urged all tourism stakeholders to actively participate in prevention and reporting efforts. David Matern, UNICEF's Permanent Representative, stated that a destination's success should be measured by child safety, not just economic growth. He cited a report indicating that 44% of sexual crime cases in the judicial year 2024-2025 involved child victims. Matern encouraged tourism operators to adopt the Global Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism, highlighting that investing in child protection also enhances tourism's reputation and sustainability. Both organizations expressed optimism about the adoption of the Santa Maria Declaration, a proposed social and institutional pact outlining concrete actions and responsibilities to protect children in Cape Verde.
This initiative highlights a critical tension between economic development through tourism and the imperative to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children. The data presented, especially concerning the island of Sal, suggests that rapid tourism growth may outpace the development of robust safeguarding mechanisms. The call for collective responsibility and the adoption of international codes of conduct underscore a systemic challenge: ensuring that economic incentives for tourism do not inadvertently create environments conducive to exploitation. Future strategies must integrate child protection seamlessly into tourism policy and operations, moving beyond reactive measures to proactive prevention and robust enforcement. This approach is essential not only for ethical reasons but also for the long-term sustainability and reputation of Cape Verde's tourism sector in an increasingly scrutinized global market.
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