Hospitality and tourism can play a major role in empowering marginal communities when celebrating South Africa's Human Rights Day on March 21st.
The industry must continue to adhere to the doctrine of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document in human rights history declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
Hospitality professions deeply rooted in human interaction must be beacons of these values.
Azola Konjwa, lecturer at IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management, a service centre excellence with Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses, is working with hospitality to ensure hospitality exists to do the perfect job. school. ”
According to the World's Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, some key human rights issues should be considered by people working in hotels and hospitality:
Right to Work – Do you provide jobs to the local community and contribute to the local economy? Working Conditions – Are your staff well treated? Land Rights and Forced Evacuation – Have your hotel denied locals access to their land? Forced Labor – How much is your agency worker being treated? Can you be sure they are not exploited? Water and Sanitation Rights – Increase the availability of local drinking water? Or does your hotel consume water at the expense of others? Rights to Life and Health – How do you ensure the health of our staff? Right to Dignity and Privacy – How do you protect your guest's privacy? Economic impact – How do you give back to your community through employment and supply chains? Do you pay your suppliers and labor fairly? Cultural Impact – Do you offer a centre for community engagement that enables positive and shared cultural experiences? Or will they offer an excursion that utilizes the local community? Child Labour – Are there any products or services that use the products of child labor? Sexual Exploitation – Are your facility used to sexually abuse adults and children? The Right to Participate – Does your worker have a voice?
The hospitality industry also needs to focus on accessibility and inclusion. Hotels, restaurants and other facilities must be accessible to persons with disabilities. This includes training staff on wheelchair lamps, accessible bathrooms, other physical accommodations and how to serve people with disabilities.
You need to create an environment that welcomes people from all backgrounds, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, people of color, marginalized groups and more.
Hospitality businesses often deal with a wide range of people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. This makes cultural sensitivity and respect for different traditions, languages and beliefs a core issue in supporting human rights.
Ensuring equal treatment of men and women within the hospitality industry is both as employees and guests, and another fundamental aspect of human rights. This includes ensuring women have equal access to employment opportunities and protection from harassment.
By focusing on these areas, hospitality businesses can play a pivotal role in promoting human rights, providing a welcoming environment for everyone, and ensuring fair treatment of their employees and guests.
IIEHSM has campuses in Johannesburg and Cape Town. For more information, please email their website or email info@iiehsm.com.
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