COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE UAE

Treats human trafficking as part of organized crime Criminal prosecution for offenders Penalties range from six months to life in prison Financial fines from about 100,000 to one million

dirhams

Federal Law 51 (2006)

NCCHT established in 2007. Supports and implements Federal Law 51 Acts as a coordinating body at federal and local levels Committee first had 12 members – now increased to 20 Members from various ministries, police, judiciary and NGOs

National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking

Cases/Traffickers/Victims (2013)

EmirateCasesTraffickersVictims

ABU DHABI 395

DUBAI 82610

SHARJAH 6117

AJMAN 242

TOTAL195024

Case history

1020

43

58

3747

19

010203040506070

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

-

Convictions (2007-2013)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

5 6

35

5

19

31

12

National Strategy

‘Five Ps’ strategy – shift from four-pillar strategyo Preventiono Prosecutiono Punishmento Protectiono Promotion (of international cooperation)

PUBLIC AWARENESS

PUBLIC AWARENESS

Victim protection

Five holistic shelters for victims

Dubai Foundation for Women and Children – established in 2007

Under the umbrella of the UAE Red Crescent Authority, Ewa’a – Shelter for Women and Children, Abu Dhabi, opened in 2008

Two more shelters opened in Sharjah & Ras Al Khaimah in 2010

Male shelter opened in January 2013 to help prospective victims

PROMOTION (of international cooperation)

May 2007 – ratified the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (2000)

Ratified the United Nations Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Palermo Protocol)

Signed agreements with several labour-exporting countries to regulate the flow of workforce

Part of the 20-member Group of Friends United Against Human Trafficking

2013 – formal member of the Bali Process and its Ad Hoc Group to address human trafficking

PROMOTION (of international cooperation)

Donated $15 million to support the UN.GIFT Signed the Declaration on the Global Efforts to

Combat Trafficking in Persons in New York 2011 Collaboration with the International Training

Centre of the Republic of Belarus Cooperation with IOM, ILO and UNODC Part of Arab strategy to build national capacity

to combat human trafficking UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons,

especially women and children, visiting UAE

Dissemination of information

Annual report evolution

 

2008 report50 pages

2013-2014 report115 pages

www.nccht.gov.ae

Challenges

Majority of UAE’s workforce is made up of foreigners

Better coordination between worker-sending and worker receiving countries

Labour versus sexual exploitation Responsibility of private sector Private-public sector cooperation

Conclusion

The UAE admits existence of the problem in the country, like many others in the world

Government is committed to cooperating with the international community to check human trafficking

Action plan to counter human trafficking has yielded results

Realizes it needs to do more, and is keen to intensify its efforts.

Thank You