Consequences of sex tourism include a loss of women's sense of personal worth and dignity, various forms of violence and threats of violence, the spread of the HIV virus, brought by sex tourists to Thailand, bad and worsening labour conditions for sex trade workers as the market-and thus competition-expands and other forms of exploitation such as that of "mail-order brides."

We draw your attention to the following: The World Bank, UNDP, UNESCO and UNICEF are sponsoring an international conference on Education for All by the Year 2000, in March 1990, at which there will be over 3,000 participants, including high- ranking government officials. We understand that between 3 and 4 million dollars. (U.S.) are being spent on organizing this conference to be held at Jomtien Beach, ten minutes away from Pattaya, and that an entirely new conference complex is being constructed for this purpose.

Whether or not any of the participants actually contribute directly to the sex trade industry, a dominant feature of the tourist trade in the area, we find the selection of the site offensive to both men and women, contrary to the spirit reflected in the concept of Education for All. As it is an infrastructure and system which exploits women and which will remain behind long after the conference is over.

WE urge you to act.

To express our solidarity with women organizing against exploitation everywhere we urge the Assembly:

1. Not to endorse the selection of the conference venue;

2. To contact those attending the Education for All conference in each of our countries and communicate our dismay and concern regarding the selection of this venue;

3. To communicate the concern and dismay of the participants and the secretariat of the I.C.A.E. to the New York-based inter-agency committee organizing the conference; and

4. To strongly recommend to the inter-agency committee that: decisions as to the location and program content for the forthcoming and subsequent meetings be based on a critical awareness of, and sensitivity to, the domestic context; programs at such meetings should have a priority, learning about the important issues of the country and region; and the mobilization of both human and material resources to support such meetings should be of a kind that contributes to, and supports the development programs of the host country, vocational centers, schools and shelters.

Conclusion

The problem of women in labour migration and tourist-related sexual exploitation is indeed deeply rooted in complex social, economic and politics.

A viable long-term solution lies in basic changes to the level of structures and values - changes that are based on the recognition and actualization of the principles of human dignity, equal rights and participation of all people, especially those who are now excluded, i.e. women. Such changes will not come along as a free gift from those who control wealth and power. A resolute struggle is required.

This statement was prepared by the Women's Caucus and endorsed by participants in a plenary session of the 4th World Assembly on Adult Education, Jan. 17, 1990. (Fourth World Assembly on Adult Education, Bangkok, Thailand. January 8- 18, 1990)