Global hospitality company honored for commitment to protecting vulnerable children from exploitation
WASHINGTON — Tahirih honored Hilton Worldwide as its Corporate Partner of the Year on April 9 at its 17th Annual Gala, “Saving Lives, Celebrating Courage.”
As one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, Hilton Worldwide has demonstrated commitment and leadership in the effort to combat human trafficking.
In 2011, Hilton Worldwide became the second U.S.-based hotel company to sign the ECPAT Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct. The code is a voluntary set of business principles that travel and tourism companies can implement to help prevent child sex tourism and trafficking of children.
The company also recently co-launched the Global Freedom Exchange, a program that supports emerging and established women leaders on the forefront of global efforts to prevent and respond to the crime of child trafficking.
Hilton Worldwide sponsored “Saving Lives, Celebrating Courage,” and hosted the event at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.
The annual gala pays tribute to the incredible courage of immigrant survivors of violence, and renews the commitment to end the global epidemic of violence against women and girls, in which no community is immune.
This is not the first time the company has supported Tahirih’s mission to protect immigrant women and girls who refuse to victims of violence. In 2013, the hospitality company provided emergency shelter for a Tahirih client fleeing violence and her three children.
The family was on the brink of homelessness, and Hilton Worldwide allowed them to stay in one of their hotels for free.
The client went on to win her asylum case, and protect her daughter from female genital mutilation.
Hilton’s executive vice president of corporate communications, Kathryn Beiser, accepted the award on behalf of Hilton Worldwide.
