The celebration event attendees included Lieutenant General Saif Abdullah Al-Shaafar, the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Interior; HE Ahmed Abdulrahman Al-Jarman, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Cooperation for Human Rights Affairs; HE Mr. Maher Al-Obad the Assistant Under Secretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization for Inspection Affairs; Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Raiyssi, the General Inspector of the Ministry; Major General Saif Al-Zarri Al-Shamsi, the General Commander of Sharjah Police Department; Brigadier Mohammed Hameed bin Dalmouj Al-Zhaheri, the Secretary-General of HE the Minister of Interior; Brigadier Nasser Khadem Al-Kaabi, the General Director for Happiness; Staff Brigadier Abdulaziz Al-Hajeri, the Commander of Security Special Force; Brigadier Mohammad Ali Al-Shehi the Director of Human Rights Department at the Ministry; the managers of departments, officers from all the sectors of the Ministry of Interior and the general commanders of the police departments in the United Arab Emirates.
Lieutenant General Saif Al-Shaafar gave a speech highlighting that the United Arab Emirates, since its early foundation, adopted a comprehensive national vision to promote human rights. It dedicated its efforts to put people? interests on top of its priorities since the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak (COVID-19). The UAE took the initiative to facilitate the lives of citizens and residents without any discrimination. It was at the forefront of the countries that managed to recover from the pandemic. It adopted several policies, strategies, and national plans to address the pandemic.
He added that the United Arab Emirates was keen on following the guidelines issued by the specialist agencies, organizations, and the United Nations human rights agencies, which included all the relevant human rights. He pointed out that the UAE exchanged the experience and best practices in combatting the pandemic with other countries, with a profound belief that cooperation and collaborative efforts must be intensified to encounter the pandemic.
He asserted that the ministry took the necessary actions by enhancing the smart police services’ readiness that would ensure the continuity of work and enable the customers to remotely accomplish their applications to achieve their safety and protect their and society’s health. He also pointed out that the ministry allowed its departments to spread awareness among members of the society and provided all the accurate information in connection with the dimensions of the spread and development of the virus.
The attendees watched a documentary film that embodies the value of people on the United Arab Emirates’ lands. A film was also played to demonstrate the ministry of interior’s efforts in encountering the Coronavirus pandemic by releasing and implementing the National Sterilization Program to protect the members of society against the infection risks of COVID-19.
The under secretary of the ministry honored the first defense line agencies that effectively participated in encountering the Coronavirus pandemic and honored the speakers at the conference.
Maitha Ghanem Al Mazroui, the Director of Corporate Communication at Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Centre, presented a paper that reviewed the Center’s experience in protecting and helping the human trafficking victims in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She reviewed the early creation of the Center in 2008 and its role in sheltering human trafficking victims among women and children. In July 2020, the Center’s name was changed into Abu Dhabi Human Care and Shelter, and new categories were added to the Center, i.e., the victims of violence and
abuse. There were several channels to receive and accommodate the victims at the Center, and several services were provided to them.
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In a written statement to the Council, the UAE said, “Over the past two decades, the WPS has been pivotal in recognising the disproportionate effects of conflicts on women and girls, but it has particularly contributed to the recognition of them as active agents and the meaningful role they play when it comes to conflict prevention, resolution and post-conflict recovery processes. While it is our duty to protect the progress made and to ensure gains will not be lost and inequalities further deepened, the advancement of the WPS agenda is a key priority for the UAE and will remain as such during our recently announced candidacy for an elected seat on the Security Council for the 2022-2023 term with our focus on the full and effective implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 and its subsequent 9 resolutions.”
Underscoring the importance of multilateral efforts in ensuring women and women?s issues are not sidelined, the UAE noted its collaboration with the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, GIWPS, on a panel series on the role of women in post-conflict reconstruction and peacebuilding. The UAE added that together with GIWPS, it will be launching a UN Action Plan, which will outline concrete priority actions and reforms for Member States and UN agencies to introduce and extend measures that ensure post-conflict activities are gender-mainstreamed.
The UAE emphasised the importance of the number of women uniformed personnel as well as their influence in building sustainable peace. In this regard, the UAE highlighted the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace and Security Initiative which, in cooperation with UN-Women, has enabled the successful graduation of over 300 women from Asia, Africa and the Middle East to facilitate their effective contribution to peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and all aspects of building peace. The UAE further noted that it hopes to contribute to closing some of the gaps related to gender-responsive security sector reform and called on Member States to identify and address the barriers facing women peacekeepers.
Furthermore, the UAE underlined that the international community could not dismiss the unwaveringly high number of cases of sexual and gender-based violence. The UAE condemned such crimes as they pose a serious threat to peace and security and stated that holding perpetrators accountable is a critical component of preventing and deterring the violence. The UAE also added that funding allocated to sexual and gender-based violence is still far from covering the actual needs, and to this end reiterated the UAE?s support through additional financial contributions to the UN?s GenCap and ProCap programmes, as well as Nadia?s Initiative. The UAE called on Member States to ensure their foreign aid specifically targets similar programmes and to work closely with UN entities and other organisations towards ending sexual and gender-based violence. /WAM
The first phase included a number of workshops that were held with 15 entities, including a number of regulators, local universities and providers of social care services in the emirate, and these entities included Dubai?s Community Development Authority, the Social Services Authority in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology, Zayed University, New York University Abu Dhabi, as well as government agencies and entities in the social sector in Abu Dhabi, namely: Judicial Department, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority, Family Development Foundation, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, Social Care and Minors Affairs Foundation, Dar Zayed for Family Care, Zayed House for Islamic Culture, and Ewa?a Shelter.
During the workshops with the regulatory authorities such as the Dubai Community Development and the Social Services Authority in Sharjah, the department reviewed the plans to license social care professionals, and ways of cooperation and exchange of experiences in serving the social sector and raising the quality of services in the country in general. The meetings with local universities explained the licensing service and studied the means of cooperation between the department and the education sector in the Emirate, in a way that ensures compatibility between the outputs of the educational sector, licensing standards and requirements, in addition to the department’s aspirations towards raising the quality and efficiency of services provided in the emirate.
The department also held other meetings with social care services providers and a number of social care professionals working in the emirate and introduced them to the importance of licensing for professionals and obtaining it through the service that was recently launched, by introducing them to the published criteria and the basic requirements for submitting an application for the license and the necessary procedures that need to be followed to ensure that the license is obtained as soon as possible.
The department, as a regulator of the social care sector, works to achieve its vision aimed at providing a dignified life for all members in the community by upgrading the level of services provided in the social care sector as well as providing social services by licensing social care facilities and professionals, in coordination with the specialized authorities.
It is worth noting that the licensing service is available through Abu Dhabi Government?s Portal – TAMM for all professionals involved in providing social care services in Abu Dhabi and other related services, as the licensing service will include five social care professions, which are psychologist (non-clinical), applied behavior analyst, psychology therapist, social worker, and counselors.
The Department had activated the registration system for professionals, facilities and social care providers, with the aim of assessing the current situation, while serving to develop a comprehensive perception of the social services provided in the emirate, as this contributed in enabling the social care service providers, whether they are professionals or facilities, to participate in developing the standards and requirements in the process of issuing the license, by providing the department with the correct data, which reflects the reality of the social care market in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which in turn contributed to enabling the Social Care Quality division in DCD to set licensing requirements, and to ensure continuity in the provision of social care services.
Dr. Anwar Gargash affirmed the UAE?s continuous efforts and commitment to alleviate the suffering of victims of human trafficking and to promote and protect their rights, in order to put an end to this phenomenon, in line with the United Nations? Sustainable Development Goals ? 2030.
In his speech during the virtual forum, Dr. Gargash reviewed the efforts in combatting human trafficking in the Middle East region, especially in light of the current challenges faced by the world with the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that the leadership of the United Arab Emirates attaches great importance to curbing the phenomenon of human trafficking, and urges joint regional action in combatting this crime.
The workshop was attended by Saeed Rashed Al Hebsi, Director of the Human Rights Department at the MoFAIC; Gabriel Munuera Vinals, Head of the Arab Peninsula section in the European External Action Service; Andrea Matteo Fontana, EU Ambassador to the UAE; and Dr. Mouza Al Shehhi, Director of the UN Women UAE Liaison Office for the GCC. Representatives from the Human Rights Department at MOFAIC, EU Commission, and the UAE Embassy in Brussels also attended the workshop.
During the workshop, best practices were exchanged in building women?s capacity in the peace and security sectors.
The country’s representative highlighted the UAE’s efforts in support of women’s roles in peace and security with a focus on initiatives by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, to empower women in peace and security, including the training programme organised by the UAE Ministry of Defence in cooperation with UN Women and the General Women?s Union.
Representatives of the European Union also reviewed the European Union Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, its efforts to support the file, training mechanisms within missions, and joint security and defence trainings.
The organisation of the workshop came in conjunction with the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and within the framework of programmes organised by the UAE National Human Rights Committee in cooperation with countries and regional and international organisations. /WAM
The programme will prepare qualified personnel from UAE law enforcement agencies to gain investigation skills and latest methods in detecting human trafficking rings.
The inauguration was attended by Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Jarman, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Human Rights and International Law and Deputy Chairman of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking; Hatem Ali, Regional Director of the UNODC in Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, Countries; Brigadier Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr, Director of the General Directorate of Human Rights at the Dubai Police; Colonel Badran Al Shamsi, Director of the General Directorate of Training; Colonel Dr. Sultan Al Jammal, Director of the Human Trafficking Crimes Monitoring Centre at the Dubai Police, and the programme?s participants.
The sixth edition of the programme will involve 91 recruits from 30 authorities ranging from police departments, local and federal prosecution authorities, the Emirates Human Rights Association, Dubai Airports, and national women?s and children?s care centres, in addition to 24 participants from Saudi Arabia, two from Bahrain, five from the GCC Police Department, and four from Oman and Kuwait.
In his opening speech, Al Jarman said, “The programme is a distinguished national and regional initiative that reflects the aspirations of the UAE?s leadership and its keenness to eliminate human trafficking. In light of the exceptional circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition of the programme will be held virtually, and we reiterate our appreciation to its organisers for their efforts.”
“We also stress the commitment of the UAE to reduce the suffering of human trafficking victims, reinforce and protect their rights, and end this phenomenon. We also highlight the importance of reaching the desired outcomes of the programme and develop the expertise and capacities of local and regional personnel in the field of combatting human trafficking crimes,” he added.
Specialist training in this field is a regional tool that welcomes specialists from various countries to join the efforts to combat human trafficking crimes, Ali pointed out while wishing luck and success to the programme?s participants.
The programme is the first of its kind in the Arab region and will take place over five weeks totalling 110 training hours, Colonel Al Jammal said, noting that it is accredited by the UNODC in GCC countries and grants its participants a specialist degree in combatting human trafficking crimes.
He added that the programme comprises three key pillars, which are developing the investigation skills of its participants and teaching them the best interrogation skills and how to take care of victims; supplying trainees with the necessary scientific and legal knowledge and the required skills to handle victims; and briefing them about the best local, regional and international practices.
A total of 146 people graduated from the five previous editions of the programme. /WAM
Headed by Sarah Shuhail, Director General of Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Center (Ewaa), and in the presence of Brig. Saeed Al Kaabi, Director of Abu Dhabi Police Social Support Department, a joint meeting was held to introduce Resolution No. 118 of 2020 released last July, under which violence and abuse, including domestic and all other forms of violence, were added to the mandate of Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Center “Ewaa”. Coordination of referring cases from social support centers to “Ewaa” was also discussed during the meeting.
The two parties discussed a mechanism for referring abuse and violence cases between social support centers and Ewaa. If the problem could not be resolved amicably by Social Support Department, and in case the subject desires to join Ewaa Center, the move is coordinated between the two sides. Also, it was agreed that cases coming from abroad will be referred by the social support center to Ewaa, if deemed appropriate. Additionally, Ewaa may, at its discretion, refer specific cases to a social support center. The mechanism of such referral has been discussed and agreed by the two sides and was included in the MoA concluded between Ewaa Center and the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police.
DCD delegation was headed by Dr. Mughir Khamis Al Kheili, Head of DCD, and included several social sector general managers and executive officers.
“We always look forward to exchanging knowledge and cooperating with local and international institutions for the best interest of our people, and designing developmental programs related to housing and social development schemes, which constitute a basic social sector element “, Dr. Al Kheili noted.
On the sidelines of the series of meetings held with HRH Princess Lamia’ bint Majid Al So’od, General Secretary of Al Walid Philanthropies, the most remarkable developmental housing projects were highlighted, along with the hospitality project under which eligible women are received and qualified to help them play a productive role in their communities.
DCD also shed light on Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Centre (EWAA); which provides care, shelter and health and psychological care to victims of human trafficking, domestic abuse and all forms of violence. The presentation discussed the multiple roles of EWAA including provision of care and qualification to victims of violence, e.g. providing shelter, designing and implementing specific qualification programs to re-integrate them in their communities and homelands, and developing a mechanism to follow them up after leaving the shelters in coordination with concerned authorities.
Dr. Mogheer Al Khaili, Head of Department of Community Development; Dr. Hatem Ali, Regional Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the GCCs; her Excellency Sara Shuhail, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Centre (Ewa?a) and their Excellencies and Highnesses attendees from KSA, Bahrain and Sultanate of Oman were present at the meeting. Tackling the best applicable practices, the meeting discussed the impact of Corona Virus crisis on measures to protect victims of human trafficking. Presenting past experiences of the participating countries, the attendees exchanged experiences in protecting and assisting victims of human trafficking.
In his opening speech, His Excellency Dr. Mogheer Al Khaili welcomed the participants and stressed the importance of the meeting, praising the humanitarian efforts of participating institutions and the positive impact on individuals and communities. Dr. Hatem also welcomed the attendees and thanked the UAE for the generous hosting of the meeting.
Her Excellency Sara Shuhail, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Centre (Ewa?a) welcomed the attendees and highlighted the UAE?s experience in protecting and supporting human trafficking victims, and fighting Corona pandemic, noting that the (Ewaa) Center, Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, as well as Aman Center for Women and Children implemented the government?s strategy to combat the pandemic. She also noted that many initiatives were implemented and had effective impact in terms of providing protection to victims, including ?Communication Brings us Together?, that has been implemented by Ewaa Center since the beginning of the pandemic, by providing regular visual communication between the victims and their families in their home countries. Her Excellency also said that Corona testing is routinely provided to victims, in cooperation with the Health Authority, and that all preventive measures are followed inside the Center. According to Shuhail, the Center’s rehabilitation programs and hotline service never ceased to exist. She also referred to the financial support provided by the Center to the victims since the beginning of the pandemic which caused the breadwinners of some families to lose their jobs and become unable to meet the needs of their families.
Moreover, Shuhail presented initiatives of Dubai Foundation of Women and Children during Corona pandemic, such as the preventive measures to protect victims, the awareness raising campaigns on social media and delivering lectures e.g. ?Corona Time Work Stress and Back-to-Work Anxiety?, ?Play-based Treatment for Children at Times of Crises and Disasters? and ?Distance Psychological First Aid?. She discussed the efforts of ?Aman Center for Women and Children in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah during the pandemic, including strengthening precautionary and preventive measures to combat the spread of COVID 19, such as the need to conduct a medical test for victims before referring them to the Center, and raising awareness of the disease and ways to prevent it from spreading among the Center?s employees and victims.
In his speech, Mr. Mohanad Al Dowaicat, Expert of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reviewed the procedures for protecting and assisting human trafficking victims according to the protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Human Trafficking, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in 2000 and linking it to the national framework.
His Excellency Usama Al Absi, Chairman of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking and the CEO of the Labor Market Regulatory Authority in the Kingdom of Bahrain presented the Kingdom?s experience in facing the pandemic and protecting the victims. Also, Sultanate of Oman presented its experience in protecting and supporting victims of human trafficking during COVID 19 crisis.
The inauguration comes as part of the MoHRE?s bid to develop labour market monitoring tools with a view to enhancing the stability of the relationship between employers and employees, preserving their rights and ensuring their abidance by the regulation of labour relations and the decisions issued in implementation thereof, Maher Al Obad, Deputy Undersecretary of MoHRE for Inspection Affairs, said.
Al Obad explained that the ?Fast Response Centre? provides an integrated database and information related to the reports and complaints received by the MoHRE, particularly those pertaining to wages and human trafficking cases. The centre also provides data on distressed establishments, which have employees under their sponsorship though they are closed, and other information related to employees and establishments by linking the centre with the MoHRE?s systems, he said. This would improve performance and production capacity of the MoHRE?s inspectors and enable them to deal rapidly with emergency situations and in times of crisis, he added.
Al Obad pointed out that the centre provides the feature of following up the inspectors? field performance and facilitating round-the-clock co-ordination between them and the decision-maker, thus taking on-site fast measures as required.
Meanwhile, Al Obad affirmed that the MoHRE?s inspectors were continuing their field visits to worksites and labour housing, particularly through the teams formed in co-operation with the concerned authorities of the MoHRE?s partners. The visits are aimed at ensuring compliance with the guideline of occupational health and safety requirements to protect workers from COVID-19 infections, he said, adding that they are also aimed at highlighting the importance of adhering to the guideline?s precautionary measures and requirements including measuring employees? temperatures, providing disinfectants, following physical distancing rules, wearing masks and taking other preventive measures.
The inspection visits are paid concurrently with the ?Together We Overcome Challenges? campaign, which is aimed at familiarizing private sector employers and employees with the package of decisions and initiatives implemented by the MoHRE in co-operation with its partners as part of the ?National program to support the stability of the labour market in the private sector? during the COVID-19 outbreak. The campaign is also aimed at raising awareness of a number of initiatives and measures adopted by the MoHRE to enhance the stability of the work relationship between the parties concerned, maintaining their rights and ensuring discharge of their duties.
Al Obad explained that the MoHRE was carrying out inspection tasks remotely by communicating with establishments to underline the importance of paying wages through the Wages Protection System and offering various support packages for establishments to choose from in order to be able to abide by the relevant conditions and regulations aimed at preserving employees? rights and enabling establishments to fulfil the necessary requirements and take the necessary measures related to regulating work relations including early leave, without the need to check with the MoHRE.
He pointed out that the MoHRE?s inspection teams carried out 31,610 visits between March and July including 1,360 visits to labour housing, 3,914 visits to follow up the precautionary measures taken by the establishments and 26,336 visits to follow up the establishments that were late for paying wages through the Wages Protection System.
The concerned inspection teams are continuing their field visits to worksites and labour housing to raise awareness of the importance of the decision banning the performance of work under the sun and in open places as well as its effective role in protecting workers from sunstroke and heat exhaustion, offering meals to support the employees of distressed establishments and providing accommodation for all the employees of these establishments, he said.
The decision banning the performance of work under the sun and in open places between 12:30pm and 3pm took effect on June 15 and will continue until September 15.
