The Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Ministry of Tourism and Youth have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, establishing cooperation in the area of preventing all forms of child and youth abuse related to travel and tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism and Youth has recognized the significance of this globally prevalent issue and expressed a willingness to support the Center’s activities. These efforts are primarily focused on raising awareness, prevention, and enhancing the safety of children and youth during travel and tourism, both within our country and beyond.

The Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as a member of the global network of civil society organizations ECPAT in the fight against the sexual exploitation of children, is already recognized as an active organization from Serbia involved in the ECPAT program. This program aims to eliminate the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism on a global scale. The collaboration with the Ministry has further enhanced the Center’s impact and strength in improving the position of children in this area and beyond.

Igor Jurić, President of the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, believes it is crucial for the work of the non-governmental sector to be supported by decision-makers.

“I expect that the agreed collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Youth will, among other things, create conditions for the transfer of knowledge and the implementation of best practices in this area, thereby raising awareness about the importance of timely and adequate responses to this issue, which has so far been insufficiently recognized in our environment,” stated Jurić. He also expressed deep gratitude to the Minister of Tourism and Youth, Husein Memić, for his willingness to address the issues of child disappearance and abuse in an institutional and systematic manner.