The Ecuadorian government announced on Thursday the creation of an inter-ministerial committee to prevent and eradicate sexual exploitation of children and teenagers associated to trips and tourism.

Ecuadorian Tourism Minister, Veronica Sion, said the committee was built under the initiative to guarantee the physical, mental, moral and sexual integrity of children, was well as a life free of violence.

Sion said the Interior Ministry, Internal and Exterior Security, Social Inclusion and Economy, Education, Tourism ministries and the General Prosecutor's Office will participate in the committee.

The committee will design a preventive plan against labor and sexual exploitation, mainly on children and teenagers, Sion said.

Meanwhile, the committee will promote a behavior code for all the hotels, tourism and travel agencies, transport companies, restaurants and other places of tourism attention.

The committee will also prepare and propose legal reforms to control and punish the sexual practices against children and teenagers on trips, said the minister.

In October 2005, Ecuadorian Tourism Ministry began a campaign to prevent child sexual exploitation on tourism activities with an investment of 60,000 U.S. dollars.

(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2009)