Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, added that the UAE?s leading position in terms of official development assistance worldwide now requires further cooperation to enhance performance and maintain the advance status the UAE has reached in this field.

She explained that the ministry realises the importance of mobilising joint efforts between MICAD, donors, and strategic partners to ensure that the country continues to provide humanitarian and developmental support according to the highest international standards. She said that holding these courses is consistent with the ministry?s mission of achieving development at a global level in line with the UAE leadership?s guidance.

The workshop helped introduce participants to principles of international humanitarian law, its relationship to Islamic law and human rights, and the scope and means of its implementation. It also shed light on the leading role of the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, and the Red Cross in this context.

Sheikha Lubna thanked the ERC for its effective role in rendering the workshop a success, and its commitment to achieving the desired goals.

The workshop saw the participation of 15 donors at the state level, including Ewaa shelters for victims of human trafficking, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Charity Foundation, H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian and Scientific Foundation, Emirates Red Crescent, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police, Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Interior Affairs, Union Defence Force, Sharjah Charity International, Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Charitable Works, Al Maktoum Foundation, Al Rahma Charity Foundation, and Dubai Cares. /WAM

In his speech at the ceremony, Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Sha?far, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior, said: ?Protecting humans and preserving their rights represents the fundamental basis of our work at the ministry. Marking the important International Human Rights Day and the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is testament to the significant strides made by the UAE in promoting the rights of all segments of society.?

Lt. General Al Sha?far noted that the UAE stands among the leading world countries and has earned top marks for its considerable efforts and hard work to guarantee human rights and to provide all means of well-being and advancement for the betterment of the people. ?This embodies the UAE?s firm belief that mankind is one of the most important pillars of progress and development, and the pillar of every action designed to preserve and develop national gains,? he continued.

Lt. General Al Sha?far said: ?The UAE has acceded to and ratified a number of bilateral, regional and international treaties, agreements and conventions on human rights; including the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, and Discrimination Against Women; and the Anti-Human Trafficking Law. It has also ratified the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This reflects the UAE?s unrelenting commitment to respect the highest humanitarian standards that preserve human rights, and its commitment to preserve the rights of people with disabilities.?

For his part, Mohamed Mohamed Fadel Al Hameli, Secretary-General of Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, hailed the support of the wise leadership for people with special needs.  He said: ?The keenness of the UAE to maintain the rights of people with special needs is an integral part of the intellectual approach, which champions the need to build the good Emirati Citizen. The UAE has promulgated numerous laws and legislations, notably the Federal Law No. 29 for 2006 concerning the rights of people with special needs. It has also enacted a number of legislations related to social welfare as set forth by the general political agenda of the UAE, with the aim of providing all components of happiness and satisfaction to citizens with special needs, which have reflected on their achievements in all fields.?

The ceremony began with a documentary about Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs, which documented the early stages of the organization?s establishment, as well as the constant efforts to support and rehabilitate people with special needs and help to integrate them efficiently into professional and productive jobs. Following the documentary, members of the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care presented a musical performance.

Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Sha?far, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior, honored a number of participating authorities. He also inaugurated the accompanying exhibition, which included traditional and handmade crafts, as well as paintings, all made by the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care members.

He said the programme will contribute to the country?s efforts in the fight against human trafficking crimes. (The National)

Shuhail said that Ewa’a Shelters are used to the continued visits of Sheikha Fatima as well as her support for their victims physically and morally. She added that Sheikha Fatima’s attention to this segment is not new, praising her efforts to alleviate their suffering, supporting them and meeting their needs locally and internationally, as part of her support to charitable and humanitarian work for the benefit of humanitarian objectives across the world. (WAM)

He said in his opening speech that the seminar will discuss the best legislative practices in the Arab region in the fight against human trafficking and will offer proposed solutions to achieve the ideal coordination and integration of the various legislations, which will contribute to strengthening efforts to combat this crime.

Afra Al Basti, Director-General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, said in her speech that the UAE has made great strides in facing the crime of human trafficking, and succeeded in becoming one of the lowest countries in the region in the proportion of this crime to occur on its territory, thanks to the interest and guidance of its wise leadership which has resulted in the building of a legislative system and the establishment of active and specialised bodies and groups in this field.

She said in her speech, which was made on her behalf by Maryam bin Theneya, Communication Director at DFWAC, “The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children believes that human trafficking is not a problem for a specific country or region, but is a global problem that all countries should join hands and cooperate to confront, and learn from the experiences of each other, especially those of the United Arab Emirates, and from this perspective, DFWAC is cooperating with the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre in organising the seminar in Dubai.

Al Basti thanked the United Nations Centre and all the participants in the seminar, expressing the hope that the event will have a positive impact on the efforts of combating human trafficking in the region in general and in the UAE in particular. (WAM)

?Maids are often lured to run away from their sponsor with promises of a better life and more money. But then they find themselves forced into prostitution,? Al Murr said. ?There has been a reduction in the instances of this crime and number of victims, but still we want to put an end to this.? The newspaper cited figures provided by Colonel Abdul Rahman bin Shafi, director of Dubai Police?s General Department of Organised Crime, which showed UAE authorities recorded 37 human trafficking victims in 2012, of which 13 were maids. In 2013, the number dropped to 13 victims, including four maids. Last year six cases were reported, of which three were maids. The average age of victims was 21-years-old. To tackle the issue, Dubai Police has launched a campaign to raise awareness of trafficking scams among recruitment agencies and local communities. As part of the campaign, Dubai Police officials are to visit 111 recruitment offices across Dubai and distribute information pamphlets in nine languages among those arriving at Dubai?s airports. Additionally, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs will help to spread awareness among domestic workers seeking employment in the UAE. Dubai Police has also promised that trafficked housemaids will not be prosecuted, as fear of being arrested for prostitution or absconding from sponsorship is one of the main reasons trafficked housemaids do not seek help. The campaign will continue for two years and its success will be monitored. Saeed Al Ghafli, assistant undersecretary for Federal National Council Affairs, as saying the campaign is part of a national strategy to combat human trafficking and prevent ?debt slavery? ? where workers are forced to work off their debts to recruitment agencies that bring them to the UAE.

The Committee reviewed the steps taken by the competent authorities in the country to implement and follow up on these recommendations, in preparation for the country’s third national report on the universal periodic review, which will be presented to the Council at the end of 2016.

The Standing Committee to follow up the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Human Rights was established on 21 March 2010, in accordance with Cabinet resolution No. 51/4w/2 of 2010. The Cabinet tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with chairing the Committee. The Committee includes a number of federal and local governmental entities and civil society organizations in the UAE.

The Committee?s Terms of Reference:

1. To follow up the UAE?s Universal Periodical Reviews (UPR) and all human rights issues related to the UPR before the UN Human Rights Council or any other relevant body.
2. To develop and oversee the implementation of the national plan for follow-up to the UAE?s voluntary pledges and the recommendations issued by the Human Rights Council as part of the UPR, and submit the plan to the Cabinet for approval.
3. To prepare the reports required by the Human Rights Council for the UPR.
4. To study the legislation and regulations in the UAE which are relevant to human rights and submit such proposals for amendments to the Cabinet as the Committee may think appropriate in this regard.
5. To cooperate with federal and local authorities to develop a plan to raise awareness of human rights issues, in order to realize its objectives and promote a national plan to implement the recommendations of the UPR.
6. The committee shall, in order to fulfil its mandate, coordinate with governmental entities and other related bodies to secure the necessary information and data.

She added that support and care for victims of violence and trafficking of women and children is not just a humanitarian duty, but is also a necessity, “to maintain the stability of our society and protect it from all forms of violence, as the cycle of violence will continue and expand from father to children and from the children to their children in the future, and also from the children to their friends, until the abuse is stopped and the victims are rehabilitated.”

Al Basti pointed out that DFWAC has recently increased the number of its online donation channels to help victims of violence and trafficking of women and children who benefit from its services within the UAE, after the launch of its official page on the “Just Giving “platform, a UK-based global online social platform for giving which aims to raise funds for humanitarian causes.

The Director General of DFWAC said that the new platform allows people who want to provide support for victims of violence in a single framework, whether directly or through contributing in a fund raising campaign.
She added that this step will open the way for millions of individuals and entities involved in the “Just Giving” platform around the world, and those interested in collecting donations to serve the humanitarian and social issues, to learn about the foundation’s efforts to shelter and care for victims of violence, and to support its various projects.
Al Basti explained that anyone can donate to the foundation, or contribute via the fund-raising campaigns to support victims of violence and human trafficking, in just a few minutes and with a few simple steps, by visiting DFWAC?s page, and then sharing these campaigns across social media.

She added that people also can donate to support the foundation’s efforts in caring for victims of violence through the website of the foundation or through Emirates Charity Gate of the Department of Islamic Affairs in Dubai site or by downloading the Emirates Charity Mobile App.
She also assured that collecting donations by DFWAC is under the full supervision of the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities.

The ACHR is the first Arab commission formed to follow up human rights and fundamental freedom issues in the region. It considers reports from member states, and pressurises the implementation of the measures put forward by member states towards the realisation of the rights and freedoms as set forth in the provisions of the Arab Charter on Human Rights.