.Sana’ lauded Sheikha Fatima’s continuous support to the cause and made special mention of her donation of a plot of land to set up the shelter home in Abu Dhabi.
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During the meeting, Ms. San?a praised the role of the UAE Ministry of Interior and the leadership of Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed ALNahyan, the UAE Minister of Interior, to protect the society from border-crossing crimes and reinforce its social preventive role against crimes.
Sheikha Fatima has already donated a plot of land for the construction of the centre for victims of human trafficking. Deputy Prime Minister and RCA President HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the establishment of the centre as part of the country’s efforts to provide adequate care and support for victims of this crime especially women and children.
To be based in Abu Dhabi, the centre will shelter women and children who are victims of human trafficking and other forms of abuse or exploitation. The centre will serve as a safe haven for the victims, where they will be provided medical care, counselling and social support.
”Sheikha Fatima’s initiative boosts the government’s strategy to combat trafficking in persons and ease suffering of those victims,”Sheikh Hamdan said.
”This is a great initiative that complements the strategy of the UAE government to combat human trafficking, a phenomenon that is alien to the UAE society”.
”The UAE gives proper care for the improving conditions of women and children in flash spots and is always launching initiatives seeking to preserve dignity of those segments as the most vulnerable to disasters and crises, poverty, marginalisation in many parts of the world,”he affirmed.
He maintained that the UAE would spare no effort to drum up support for humanitarian causes.
This was announced at the 11th meeting held yesterday in the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. The committee discussed several topics related to human trafficking and its implications.
Amongst other key topics, discussions focused on the nation- wide media campaign in the UAE. The committee discussed plans to foster a partnership between the public and private sector on trafficking issues, which aims at uniting the nation’s efforts against this criminal activity.
The media campaign will also enforce the UAE’s efforts in dealing with the problem and explain the legal implications of the crime as well as the tough penalties imposed against any perpetrators of this criminal activity.
In addition, the Committee decided to launch a survey on human trafficking crimes that will help officials tackle the issue. Members discussed the creation of a website on efforts to combat human trafficking, which will serve as an effective communications channel and official information source in addition to enhancing awareness about the crime.
Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chair of the UAE National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, said:
“The UAE has succeeded in drawing support for its battle to combat human trafficking domestically and globally, through important initiatives that we launched against this criminal activity. The success of our initiatives has motivated us to exert more efforts to deal with the issue and eliminate it. Our leadership has contributed in empowering the committee and supporting its mission to implement our four-pillared action plan.”
He added, “Human trafficking poses a direct threat to social and moral values of UAE society. It is imperative that international players unite against this crime. As an active member of the international community, we will use all our resources to fight this inhumane activity. To achieve this, we will launch a nation-wide media campaign.”
The National Committee members also discussed the importance of bilateral relationship building in trafficking issues by signing MoUs with countries such as Belarus and Armenia. Dr. Gargash stressed that these partnerships are part of the strategic pillars of the committee’s mission, and will help in strengthening relationships and information-sharing between countries, thus positively influence the efforts being exerted against human trafficking.
The Committee also approved to host specialized workshops for security personnel about human trafficking, in co-operation with the International Training Center in Belarus, aimed at building the skills and capabilities of security forces to fight against this crime.
The National Committee has also agreed to hold an Arab Forum under the supervision of the Arab League and decided to participate in the International Organization for Migration’s meetings held respectively in Kabul and Kazakhstan.
Dr Gargash instructed the committee to speed up the launch of the media campaign in the UAE’s airports, which is aimed at spreading public awareness about the crime.
“The campaign is of great importance to limit the number of people who become victims of human trafficking,” he said.
During the meeting, the committee also welcomed new members from federal and local general prosecution departments, as well as the Emirates Association for Human Rights. The committee members praised the government’s decision to expand the strength of the committee, stating that the move will further energise and efficiently support its activities.
Furhter, the Committee approved an anti-human trafficking website, which will be officially launched soon, and discussed other important issues, including reviewing letters from Dubai Charity Association for Women and Child Care.
The recent support extended by the UAE leadership to fight human trafficking reinforces the country’s commitment and concerted efforts to counter the crime, His Excellency Dr. Anwar Gargash, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said on Sunday.
Last week, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of Arab Women Organization and the president of the General Federation of Women and honorary president of the UAE Red Crescent Society and Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation, contributed land to establish a shelter for victims of human trafficking; and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, contributed Dhs8m to cover the center’s expenses.
Praising the high-level support, Dr. Gargash, who is also the Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs and Head of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, said: “The initiatives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed reiterate the commitment of the leaders and prominent figures in the UAE to fight human trafficking and minimize its consequences on community members.”
He added: “The new shelter for victims will be committed to protecting, particularly, the women and children affected by human trafficking and introducing psychological rehabilitation programs and social and healthcare support services to reduce the negative effects on the victims while integrating them in the society efficiently.”
The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking is implementing four main components of the UAE strategy to fight human trafficking including: developing legislations and laws related to human trafficking; enabling concerned parties to take pre-emptive measures; protecting victims from the social evil; and strengthening cooperation in the field on a global scale.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s initiative comes in line with his continuous support to local and international efforts for combating human trafficking. Sheikh Mohammed donated Dhs15m to the Vienna Forum held recently to coordinate international efforts to combat this crime.
?The UAE will do every possible effort to promote international support for the victims of such type of crimes which have spread due to poverty, unemployment and deteriorated social economic and social standards in the vulnerable societies,? he added.
HE San?a Al Kitbi, Advisor of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed on Humanitarian Affairs and chairperson of Ewa?a founding Committee, said the donation of a land plot to construct an Ewa?a centre for victims of human trafficking highlighted how much H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak was supportive to maintain the dignity of human beings. She also praised the strong support of H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan for Ewa?a project to protect victims of human trafficking in the Country. ?Since their inception, he was immediately supportive for Ewa?a centres which embody the UAE?s moral and humanitarian commitments to protect victims of human trafficking.?
Sara Shaheel, the Principal of Umm Ammar High School and member of Ewa?a Founding Committee, said the new initiative by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak explained her deep understanding of human trafficking victims? requirements and stressed her determination to provide those vulnerable with decent life.
At the conclusion of its eighth meeting, Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and head of the UAE NCCHT, said: “The UAE’s support for and participation in the UN.GIFT (Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking) at Vienna reflects our commitment to fight transnational human trafficking by linking it with international efforts. We are now engaged in actively following up on the success of the Vienna Forum in raising the international profile of trafficking and building partnerships with organizations and NGOs to achieve this goal. Through the generous $15m donation of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the UAE was the catalyst for a global initiative to fight trafficking.”
The Committee discussed a strategy for utilizing the links and partnerships forged in Vienna with the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in order to initiate specialized training programs for UAE law enforcement officers. The committee also discussed the need to strengthen partnerships with the international NGO sector for knowledge exchange and international best practice in caring for victims.
The committee praised the partnerships that were forged by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children with their counterparts in other countries during the Vienna forum. Dr. Gargash stated that “The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children is a tangible and concrete example of the UAE’s commitment to victim support and we are proud of the work that this organization is undertaking. It has successfully dealt with a number of cases since its inception and it is run by UAE national women who are committed, bright and constantly striving to keep the foundation up to date with international best practice” added Gargash.
Statistics from the Dubai Foundation show that they have dealt with a total of 28 suspected victims of trafficking between October 2007 and March 2008. They rehabilitated and repatriated 3 cases successfully with the coordination of the IOM Uzbekistan in 2007 and 3 further cases in 2008. They are currently sheltering 14 victims of suspected trafficking from various countries.
The committee discussed the UAE’s recent decision to ratify the Trafficking in Persons (TiP) protocol which supplements their commitments under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The National Committee established a specialized sub committee to study the obligations and requirements of the Protocol.
In line with their victim support agenda, the committee members also discussed future strategies for supporting the UAE Red Crescent Authority announcement last month to set up country-wide comprehensive shelters offering housing, healthcare and social support for women and child victims of human trafficking.
While reiterating the UAE’s four-pronged strategy to combat human trafficking – involving legislation, enforcement, victim support and international cooperation -the meeting also reviewed other proposals that emerged following the participation in Vienna by the UAE delegation, which included officials from the ministries of Justice, Interior, Labour, Federal National Council Affairs, and representatives from the police and the non-governmental sector.
Shaikh Hamdan affirmed that under the directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE staunchly supports all international efforts to combat human trafficking through the enactment of laws which control this inhuman form of crime which is considered a scar on the forehead of the entire humanity. He added that UAE is among the first countries who perceived the magnitude of the human misery brought about by this crime, and thus promulgated Federal law No 51 for Year 2006 regarding combating human trafficking. The UAE also set up the national anti-human trafficking committee and formulated a comprehensive national strategy in this regard, Shaikh Hamdan noted.
He stressed that UAE was among the first few nations who called upon the international community and the various world organisations to shoulder the full responsibility of protecting the civilians, especially women and children from the danger of human trafficking operations as well as from war crimes and crimes against humanity.
?On several international occasions UAE continued to call for the world attention to the consequences of the increasing challenges women and children face, as they are the immediate and the largest section uprooted by the crimes against humanity, warfare and other forms of conflicts around the world?, Sheikh Hamdan said.
He said that UAE has shown its moral and humanitarian commitment to the protection of the victims of human trafficking through the ratification of the international conventions in this regard. UAE ratified UN convention on the rights of child in 1997, and signed the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in 2002. Thus the UAE and its prudent leadership continued to munch support for humanitarian issues to protect the victims of these crimes, noted Sheikh Hamdan.
Poverty, need, unemployment and economic and social destitution are among the factors which lead to the spread of the human trafficking phenomenon among delicate and fragile societies. So, UAE takes up fundamental roles of empowering these sections of the human society by way of making them capable of standing up to the tough situations in life. The country does this though humanitarian and relief operations and development projects to help those societies to stand up again, said Shaikh Hamdan.
All the divine scriptures has dignified the status of human being, and the Almighty Allah honoured the human being above all other creations, and made him his vicegerent on earth to live in accordance with the divine message given for mankind. But what is happening today in our world is the most evident form of the infringement of human dignity through crimes against humanity and violation of human rights. This clearly contradicts with what has been taught by the divine scriptures as well as with all the international conventions and protocols which have been promulgated to protect the human being and alleviate his sufferings, Shaikh Hamdan said.
The care centres will provide a safe shelter, healthcare and social support for the victims of human trafficking.
According to the decision, the new centres will be a corporate body enjoying financial and administrative independence, and operate under the umbrella of the RCA.
Shaikh Hamdan highlighted the UAE’s moral and humanitarian commitment to protecting victims of human trafficking and its support for international efforts to combat human trafficking crimes.
“The UAE endorsed international conventions related to fighting human trafficking such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1997, and the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime,” Shaikh Hamdan said.
In line with the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE strongly supports international efforts to fight human trafficking through setting legislation to limit this crime, which is disgraceful to humanity, Shaikh Hamdan added.
Increasing challenges
The UAE issued Federal Law No.51 (2006) on combating human trafficking and established the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking. It also set an integral national strategy in this regard.
Shaikh Hamdan underlined the UAE was among the first countries that called on the international community and UN organisations to shoulder their responsibility in protecting civilians, especially women and children, from human trafficking and war crimes.
“The UAE warned against the increasing challenges facing women and children as the most affected segments of society by inhuman crimes, armed conflicts and wars,” Shaikh Hamdan said.
He added that all divine legislation raised the value of human beings and prohibited crimes against humanity, and creating human rights laws protected human beings.
Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, praised Shaikh Hamdan’s decision as part of the country’s strategy and efforts to combat human trafficking and crimes against humanity.
