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End to Human Trafficking Is UAE’s Top Priority

The UAE shares the core universal values that make the elimination of human trafficking a top priority, said Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs and Chairperson of the National Committee on Human Trafficking, in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times.

Dr. Gargash said the recently-formed committee has undertaken several steps to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the problem in the UAE. He said the committee has taken into consideration the contributing factors unique to the country and common in the developed countries.

“The committee has already met four times in the past few months and has undertaken several steps to ensure a comprehensive assessment of human trafficking in the country. The committee recognises the multi-faceted nature of the problem and is, therefore, acting at all levels including prosecution, prevention as well as protection of victims,” said the minister.

Answering a question on the efficiency of the committee, he said the committee was still in the process of collating data from various agencies and emirates. “However, according to preliminary indications, there are at least 10 cases pertaining to human trafficking registered so far this year. Five of these are related to instigating prostitution, two to threatening the life of children, and three cases are related to other issues,” disclosed Dr Gargash.

“It is heartening to note that when the Federal Law No.51 of 2006 was first implemented, two people had already been sentenced to a jail term of seven years, and a third for three years for indulging in and aiding and abetting human trafficking,” he said.

“The government is committed to strictly enforcing the new law and punishing all those found guilty, and rehabilitating the victims in the best possible way and with compassion,” Dr Gargash stressed. The Federal Law No.51 on combating human trafficking, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East was enacted last year with the aim of eradicating trading in persons and protecting and rehabilitating victims of this crime.

Regarding the tasks of the committee, the minister underlined that the committee is responsible for developing an implementation framework for the federal human trafficking law. “The committee focuses on drafting legislation, assesses government implementation procedures, monitors cases, coordinates between government divisions, and promotes public awareness on human trafficking,” the minister added.

He said the primary mandate of the committee is to coordinate among federal ministries and departments efforts to curb crimes related to trafficking in persons, be it prostitution, abuse, maltreatment, coercive exploitation and abuse of work force, or illegal organ transplantation. “Secondly, the committee seeks to ensure strict enforcement of the law and its provisions. The committee has also been designated as the official authority to receive and manage international enquiries and delegations related to human trafficking,” Dr Gargash clarified .

About the initiatives taken by the government to curb the crime, he said, “One of the noteworthy accomplishments during the last two years has been the total ban on child camel jockeys, as well as the multi-million-dirham compensation and repatriation programme that the government continues to support in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).”

The Dubai Women and Children Foundation’s initiative by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which was launched earlier this year, is another step taken by the government to combat trading in persons, he said.

The initiative aims at providing a safe environment, assistance and rehabilitation for women and children who were exposed to physical and psychological abuse, including human rights abuses such as trafficking. “The UAE has signed an agreement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to provide up to Dh50 million to support the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking .This demonstrates the country’s commitment to tackle the crime not only in the UAE, but globally as well,” Dr Gargash stated.

He pointed out that it was important to highlight that human trafficking in the UAE has its origins in some other countries, a matter that has prompted the government to take joint measures with several countries, he said. “Agreements have been signed with Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to regulate the flow of workers. All labour contract transactions will henceforth be processed by labour ministries or offices in the supplying countries to prevent unscrupulous private recruitment agencies from trafficking, or otherwise exploiting, workers,” the minister concluded

Adapted from: Nada S. Mussallam. "End to human-trafficking UAE’s top priority."  Khaleej Times Online. 20 October 2007.